Odisha's Rice Procurement Boost: Centre to Acquire Additional 6 Lakh MT

Government's Commitment to Rice Procurement

Bhubaneswar: On Thursday, Krushna Chandra Patra, the Food Supplies Minister of Odisha, announced that the Central Government has consented to purchase an extra 6 lakh metric tons of rice from the state.

The state administration has been pressing the Centre to take in the excess rice due to full warehouses.

Patra stated, "The Government of India will procure 6 lakh metric tons of rice, which includes 5 lakh metric tons of boiled rice, from Odisha by April."

He further mentioned that the state has a surplus of 7 lakh metric tons of rice, and the remaining 1 lakh metric tons will be auctioned off.

Typically, the Centre procures around 50 lakh metric tons of rice from Odisha, according to officials.

Patra highlighted that paddy procurement is currently active in 18 out of 30 districts, with the state having collected 10.50 lakh metric tons of paddy from approximately 2.30 lakh farmers during this kharif season.

"The government has disbursed Rs 2,350 crore to farmers as minimum support price (MSP) and input assistance for the procured paddy," he added.

The procurement of paddy will persist until March, ensuring that all registered farmers can sell their produce.

During a review meeting on Wednesday evening, the minister urged officials to accelerate the procurement process while ensuring transparency and addressing any allegations of irregularities.