Bhubaneswar: October 11: The Odisha government will procure 73 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in the Kharif season and 20 lakh metric tonnes in the Rabi season this year. If more paddy arrives in Mandi, the state government shall purchase it from the registered farmers. The state government made this decision during yesterday’s cabinet meeting.
Kharif paddy will be procured from November to March, Rabi paddy from May to June. The state government has decided that the districts will choose their paddy procurement period during this period. The state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, met in the Lok Sabha Bhawan Conference Hall and approved the ‘Food and Paddy Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Year, 2025-26’ of the Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Department. Along with this, the cabinet approved 15 proposals from a total of 10 departments.
To ensure smooth implementation, a Cabinet Sub-Committee/Group of Ministers/Inter-Ministerial Committee will continuously review the progress of the procurement operations. The committee will also be empowered to modify procurement targets or make necessary policy adjustments based on field realities and feedback from stakeholders.
AADHAR shall be the only identity proof required for the sale of paddy to the government. The MSP per quintal for common paddy has been fixed at Rs. 2369 and for Grade-A paddy at Rs. 2389 per quintal. Paddy will be collected as per the FAQ fixed by the Government of India. Action will be taken against those paying less than the fixed price of paddy.
Odisha Civil Supply Corporation will collect paddy in all districts. It will be purchased through PACS, LAMPS, the Women’s SSG, and Pani Panchayats. Farmers will be paid their dues within 24 to 48 hours of handing over the paddy.
Similarly, regular checks will be carried out by the police and district administration to ensure that paddy does not come from outside the state. For this, sensitive places will be identified, and CCTV cameras will be installed. The state requires 24 lakh metric tonnes of paddy annually to meet the requirements of the National Food Security Act, State Food Security Scheme, and other welfare schemes under the Public Distribution System. The surplus paddy will be transferred to the central warehouse through FCI.
It has also been decided that if any miller has outstanding payments in the Kharif marketing year 2024-25 (excluding Rabi season) or previous years, then the said miller will not be included in the upcoming paddy procurement process.
