Responding to growing protests from farmers, the Haryana government has successfully advanced the paddy procurement season to September 27, instead of the initially scheduled October 1. This move follows the Centre’s approval, kick-starting the paddy procurement process for the year 2024-25 on Friday, a significant development for the poll-bound state.
On Friday, paddy procurement for the 2024-25 seasons officially began across the state, after the Centre approved Haryana’s request to advance the date. According to a communication from the Central Government, the procurement period for paddy will now run from September 27 to November 15, 2024.
Over the past few days, the early arrival of paddy surged across Haryana, but without official procurement in place, farmers were left with no choice but to sell their produce for less than Rs 2,000 per quintal. This was significantly below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,320 per quintal, resulting in heavy losses for many. The state’s decision to push for an early start to procurement was driven by fears that inclement weather, including continuous rains, could cause further damage to standing crops.
“The procurement of paddy and all Kharif crops will be done at the MSP announced by the Government of India. Farmers are urged to ensure their crops are properly dried and meet the government’s moisture standards to ensure prompt procurement,” said a senior government official.
With the advanced procurement date in place, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, along with other procurement agencies, has made all necessary preparations to ensure smooth operations across the state’s mandis. A total of 241 mandis and procurement centers have been set up for paddy procurement alone, with a target of procuring approximately 60 lakh metric tons during the Kharif marketing season.
Due to the continuous rains in August and September, officials expect delays in harvesting and drying crops. The government has adjusted the procurement schedule for Kharif crops, allowing farmers more time to prepare.
A spokesperson for the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department confirmed that as of September, Haryana had received 108.9 mm of rainfall, compared to only 69.3 mm in August and 39.3 mm in September 2023.
