Assurance to continue paddy procurement in Odisha even after the stipulated time limit

03-Jul-2025 11:33 AM

Bhubaneswar. The farmers of Odisha are waiting to sell their Rabi paddy under the price support scheme. In response to growing unrest, the state government has assured that procurement will continue from all farmers who have already received tokens.

It is noteworthy that the paddy procurement deadline was set for June 30, 2025. However, many farmers still have unsold Rabi paddy despite having valid tokens, and the procurement process has been halted, leading to widespread protests in various districts.

Farmers claim that their paddy is lying at government procurement centers and that despite holding valid tokens, they are being denied the opportunity to sell. In response, the government has reiterated its commitment to purchasing the full quantity of paddy from registered farmers and has advised farmers to ensure biometric verification for the upcoming sale process.

The Food Minister clarified that tokens will not be considered expired until the complete quantity of paddy is procured.

While the official deadline has passed, procurement operations will resume, and farmers will only need to complete IRIS scanning to secure a slot. A new date will be scheduled for this purpose soon.

By June 30, 2025, the Odisha government had procured 19 lakh tonnes of Rabi paddy—significantly exceeding both the set target and last year’s procurement of 12 lakh tonnes.