Paddy procurement in Sundargarh district has likely reached an early conclusion for this kharif season, as the initial procurement target of 18.93 quintal was surpassed 10 days before the end of February, with over 19.24 lakh quintal procured from registered farmers. Approximately 53,798 farmers registered for paddy sales at a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,183 per quintal. Procurement began on December 15 last year, but initially moved slowly, with only 76,749 quintal procured by December 26. The pace increased from the second week of January. A new target was set to procure an additional 1.94 lakh quintal, but with nearly all Paddy Procurement Centres (PPCs) closed due to the lack of surplus paddy, the remaining target of 1.63 lakh quintal is expected to be met before the March 31 deadline. The district has seen private parties purchasing paddy directly from farmers at rates between ₹2,000 to ₹2,100 per quintal, offering a more convenient option for farmers compared to selling at procurement centers. Despite a bumper harvest reported, the government's procurement target was reduced by approximately 2 lakh quintal compared to previous years.
