The Uttar Pradesh government will begin its paddy procurement for the 2025-26 marketing season on 1 October, targeting the purchase of 60 lakh metric tonnes (MT) from farmers at the federally set minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,369 per quintal. The procurement process will be rolled out in phases across the state, starting with western districts, according to the media reports.
Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies for Uttar Pradesh, Bhupendra Chaudhary, confirmed the start date and stated that the detailed procurement policy would be presented to the state cabinet for approval soon. “We aim to begin procurement from October 1, starting with western UP districts. The procurement in eastern UP will begin from November 1,” Chaudhary said.
The procurement target of 60 lakh MT represents an increase from the previous year, when the state government purchased more than 57.70 lakh MT of paddy. The MSP of Rs 2,369 per quintal is Rs 69 higher than the price offered last year.
The government, in association with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), is expected to establish approximately 4,500 procurement centres across the state to facilitate the purchases. This network is crucial for ensuring that farmers have accessible locations to sell their produce at a guaranteed price.
Simplifying The Process For Farmers
A key focus of this year's procurement drive is to further simplify the registration process for farmers and improve facilities at the procurement centres. Officials stated that the policy proposes enhancements to make it easier for genuine farmers to avail themselves of the MSP benefits.
“Last year, more than 9 lakh farmers had registered. Our effort is that more farmers and genuine farmers register this year to avail of the MSP benefits,” said an official familiar with the proposed policy. So far, 5,022 farmers have registered for the upcoming season.
The state currently has 1,820 rice mills that will process the paddy supplied to them by the government through this procurement system. The phased procurement will first begin in divisions including Meerut, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Agra, Aligarh, Jhansi, and Lucknow, with the rest of the state following from 1 November.
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