1 Cr MT Paddy to be Procured at Rs 3100/Quintal by Odisha Govt During Kharif Marketing Season

Bhubaneswar: The BJP government in Odisha has decided procure one crore metric tonnes (MT) paddy from farmers during the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25 at an enhanced minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,100 per quintal.

During a review meeting for the preparations for implementation of the enhanced MSP for paddy, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday directed officials to streamline paddy procurement process at mandis and ensure that farmers benefit from the increased MSP.

The state is currently producing 68 lakh metric tonnes of paddy.

To reduce the role of intermediaries and agents, paddy collection vehicles will be tracked via GPS using the E-Vahan app and an automatic grain analyser will be employed to check paddy quality during procurement. A team of officials from Agriculture, Food Supplies, Panchayati Raj and Revenue departments will also conduct field visits to monitor the procurement process.

The meeting also discussed constructing godowns under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

In its election manifesto for the 2024 polls, the BJP had promised to procure paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal, 42% more than the then minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,183, if it came to power in Odisha.