Odisha has registered 19.67 lakh farmers for paddy procurement during the current Kharif season, marking a significant rise from last year’s 17.50 lakh registrations.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra shared the update during the Assembly’s question hour, responding to a query by MLA Siddhanta Mahapatra.
The minister revealed that 2.94 lakh farmers across five districts—Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, and Sambalpur—have already received procurement tokens. He assured that token distribution in other regions will begin shortly.
To ensure smooth coordination, the government has formed a ministerial-level committee for paddy procurement. Each district has been assigned a minister to oversee operations, while block-level officers have been appointed to monitor mandis and report to district collectors.
In terms of financial support, the government has disbursed Rs 22,771 crore to farmers in 2024–25, which is 80% higher than the previous year’s Rs 12,000 crore. This includes:
- Rs 16,895 crore under Minimum Support Price (MSP)
- Rs 5,876 crore as input subsidies
The minister emphasised that no tokens lapsed last year and procurement efficiency has improved under the new administration. In 2023–24, although 17.73 lakh farmers registered, only 13.36 lakh sold their paddy. The current year shows better alignment between registration and procurement.
The government also plans to open 100 model mandis to streamline the process and ensure transparency.
