Bhubaneswar, 07 March (H.S.): The Odisha government has finalised the roadmap for Rabi paddy procurement for the 2025–26 Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), with farmer registration scheduled to begin from March 10, officials said.

According to the plan, the procurement process will commence on May 1 and continue until June 30, 2026, enabling farmers across the state to sell their produce through the government procurement system.

In a move aimed at boosting farmers’ income, the state government has fixed the total procurement price at ₹3,100 per quintal. This includes the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹2,369 per quintal along with ₹731 per quintal as input assistance under the Krushak Samrudhi Yojana.

Officials said farmers who had already registered their details during the Kharif paddy procurement season will not need to register again for Rabi procurement. However, sharecroppers (Bhagchasi) will have to complete fresh registration to avail the procurement benefits.

As part of the registration process, sharecroppers will be required to submit a consent letter from the landowner along with the landowner’s Aadhaar details to verify eligibility.

To ensure that procurement benefits reach genuine cultivators, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department will introduce a high-tech verification system this year.

For the first time, the government will use satellite imagery to verify the cultivation status of registered agricultural plots. Additionally, the registration portal has been integrated with the Bhulekh land records database, which will automatically reject claims made on non-cultivable land such as forests, rivers and hilly terrain.

Officials said the technology-driven system is expected to enhance transparency in the procurement process and prevent fraudulent claims, ensuring that the benefits reach genuine farmers

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda