Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has decided to introduce an e-KYC (electronic know your customer) system for farmers in the paddy procurement process to ensure transparency and prevent the inflow of paddy from neighbouring states.
Once implemented, the e-KYC system will help ensure that only genuine farmers from Odisha benefit from the paddy procurement scheme, a source said.
The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo to assess the status of Rabi paddy procurement for the 2024–25 season.
The meeting was informed that against the initial target of 14 lakh metric tonnes (MT), the state has procured 19 lakh MT of paddy so far. In comparison, only 12 lakh MT was procured during the same period last year, the source added.
Odisha is offering Rs 3,100 per quintal, covering both the minimum support price and input assistance under the Samruddha Krushak Yojana for Rabi crops.
In addition, the state government is actively considering a new paddy procurement policy to be introduced in the near future, the source added.
According to official sources, Odisha currently requires 27 lakh MT of rice annually for internal consumption. However, this year, the state has produced a total of 93 lakh MT of paddy from both Kharif and Rabi seasons, which will yield approximately 63 lakh MT of rice—far exceeding the state’s requirement.
The meeting also discussed strategies for managing the surplus rice.
As part of this effort, arrangements have been made to supply paddy straw and broken rice to ethanol production units in the state, enabling the production of second-generation ethanol.
UNI
