Paddy Procurement Strategy in Uttar Pradesh: Boosting Farmer Trust and Transparency

The Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch a comprehensive paddy procurement initiative aligned with the Kharif Marketing Year 2025-26. Procurement will commence on October 1 in western UP and on November 1 in the eastern region. This initiative runs until January 31, 2026, in the west and February 28, 2026, in the east.

According to an official press release, farmers must register on the food and civil supplies department portal or the UP KISAN MITRA app to participate. The government has raised the minimum support price for paddy this year, set at Rs 2,369 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2,389 per quintal for grade A.

Ensuring transparency and reducing middlemen involvement, purchases will be conducted via e-POP devices with biometric farmer verification. Direct payments to the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of farmers are part of the strategy to enhance trust and efficiency in the procurement process.

(With inputs from agencies.)