Odisha Targets 14 Lakh Metric Tonnes Paddy Procurement for Rabi Season

Bhubaneswar: After a highly successful Kharif season where 73.45 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy were procured from nearly 16.60 lakh farmers, the Odisha government has set an ambitious target to procure 14 LMT of paddy during the current Rabi season.

Official sources confirmed that preparations are well underway to facilitate a smooth procurement process. Around 3.37 lakh farmers are expected to participate this Rabi season. The procurement drive will commence on May 1 and continue until June 30, covering 20 districts, including the newly added Kandhamal, Sundargarh, and Bhadrak.

A State-level Paddy Procurement Committee meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, reviewed the readiness for the Rabi season. Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh highlighted that during the last Kharif procurement, farmers received Rs.16,853 crore as Minimum Support Price (MSP) and an additional Rs.5,862 crore as input assistance.

The procurement will be managed through 965 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and 200 Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Ahuja emphasized ensuring that no eligible farmer is left out of the procurement process. He praised the use of satellite imagery technology developed by ORSAC (Odisha Space Applications Centre) for verifying paddy-growing areas and distributing procurement tokens efficiently.

In line with the Kharif season, farmers will receive Rs.3,100 per quintal—comprising Rs.2,300 as MSP and Rs.800 as input assistance—with payments credited directly into their accounts within 48 hours of procurement. To address grievances, a toll-free helpline (1967) has been made available for farmers.

Further, strict monitoring measures have been introduced. Each procurement center (mandi) will be equipped with CCTV surveillance, and all vehicles transporting paddy will be fitted with Vehicle Tracking Systems to prevent irregularities. Special squads will also be deployed along the state’s borders to curb the inflow of paddy from outside Odisha.

District Collectors and Civil Supply Officers, who participated via video conferencing, have been directed to ensure timely lifting of paddy, make arrangements to protect stock from unseasonal rains and heatwaves, and deploy nodal officers and supervisors at all mandis.

Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy presented the detailed preparedness plan during the meeting. Senior officials from various departments, including Mission Shakti, Transport, Agriculture and Food Production, Food Corporation of India, and the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation, were also in attendance.

The Odisha government’s proactive approach aims to ensure a farmer-friendly, transparent, and efficient Rabi paddy procurement process.