Paddy Procurement Begins in Deogarh, Over 21,000 Farmers to Benefit

Bhubaneswar: The kharif paddy procurement process has commenced in Deogarh district, marking another phase in the ongoing statewide procurement drive aimed at ensuring timely support to farmers. Procurement will be carried out through 51 mandis across the district, benefiting as many as 21,414 registered farmers this season.

To ensure smooth and transparent operations, 51 Mandi Nodal Officers and 13 supervising officers have been deployed to oversee the procurement process. Compared to last year, the number of registered farmers in Deogarh has increased significantly—from 19,662 in the previous kharif season to 21,414 this year. Two additional mandis have also been made operational, taking the total to 51 from 49 last year.

A total of 62,747 acres of paddy cultivated area has been registered in the district for the current kharif season, up from 58,249 acres last year. The satellite survey of all registered paddy cultivation areas has been completed. Authorities have ensured the availability of minimum facilities at all mandis, along with the installation of CCTV cameras to strengthen monitoring and transparency.

Meanwhile, paddy procurement is already underway in districts including Bargarh, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Subarnapur and Balangir. So far, 3,05,050 metric tonnes of paddy have been procured from 67,250 farmers across these districts. An amount of ₹447.22 crore has been disbursed towards Minimum Support Price (MSP), along with ₹138 crore paid as input assistance.

The procurement process will be extended to other districts in a phased manner, with all necessary preparations underway. Registered farmers are being informed in advance, and tokens are being issued accordingly to ensure orderly procurement. Minimum infrastructure has been put in place at mandis, and payments are being credited directly to farmers’ bank accounts within 48 hours of procurement through an Aadhaar-linked e-KYC payment system.