Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to purchase paddy at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 900 per quintal including Rs 50 as bonus and coarse cereals (millet, small millet and corn) at Rs 840 per quintal, official sources said on Friday.

The decision was taken keeping in mind that the Kharif marketing season has already begun since October for the 2008-09 season, they said.

Paddy is sown mainly in Jabalpur, Katni, Seoni, Mandla, Hoshangabad, Gwalior, Bhind, Satna, Rewa and Shahdol districts in the state.

Procurement work has been distributed among various agencies, sources said.

Rewa division (except Shahdol and Anuppur) has been placed under the jurisdiction of State Civil Supplies Corporation, and Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been given Shahdol, Anuppur, Seoni and Balaghat (except Lanji and Lalbarra blocks), they said.

The State Cooperative Marketing Federation will undertake paddy procurement in all divisions except Rewa and Jabalpur and Lanji and Lalbarra blocks of Balaghat district, they added.

Coarse cereals will be purchased by the State Civil Supplies Corporation as an agent of FCI. These purchases will be made through cooperative societies in all the districts, sources said.