Maharashtra Paddy Procurement Demand Rises for Farmers
Maharashtra’s agricultural economy is at the centre of a renewed policy push as leaders from the Nagpur region press the Union government to raise paddy procurement targets for the ongoing 2025–26 kharif season. With registered farmers reporting significant volumes of harvest left unprocured and vulnerable to weather risks, the debate underscores deeper challenges in food-grain support mechanisms, rural incomes and implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) systems.
A senior regional legislator has formally requested the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to augment the official procurement quota for Chandrapur district by at least 3 lakh quintals, reflecting a substantial gap between recorded production and the sanctioned target. District agricultural data indicate about 30.57 lakh quintals of paddy has been documented in the online procurement system with 91,671 farmers registered, but only 5.48 lakh quintals has been approved for purchase — and most of this has already been procured.Local agriculture officials point to productivity levels averaging 11.44 quintals per hectare, suggesting a much larger harvest volume than current procurement provision allows. The shortfall means an estimated 2–3 lakh quintals of paddy remains exposed near sorting and purchase centres, heightening the risk of quality deterioration from unseasonal rains or heat — a scenario that could erode farmer incomes just as commodity market conditions tighten.
Procurement of paddy at MSP is a cornerstone of India’s agricultural price support system, designed to stabilise rural incomes and promote food-grain availability. However, nationwide, limitations in procurement quotas and logistical capacity have led to bottlenecks elsewhere — compelling farmers to sell into local markets at rates below MSP, as seen in other regions.Agricultural economists note that procurement shortfalls not only affect immediate farmer revenue but ripple into rural economies where crop sales fund household expenditure and local commerce. “Timely and adequate procurement is critical for maintaining rural demand and preventing distress sales by farmers,” said an agricultural policy expert. Without sufficient government purchases, farmers may be forced to accept lower private-market prices, undermining the stabilisation purpose of MSP regimes.
The procurement gap also resonates with recent debates in state legislative forums over delayed bonus disbursements and compensation for weather-hit farmers in eastern Vidarbha, where unseasonal rains have damaged standing crops and raised urgency around fiscal support packages.Farm advocacy groups argue that expanding procurement capacity — both in volume and in ground-level infrastructure — is essential, especially in regions with high paddy output. Some suggest strengthening mobile purchase units and increasing sanctioned procurement centres to absorb excess cook. Municipal planners and rural development specialists also emphasise improved supply chain logistics to protect harvest quality and reduce post-harvest losses.
As Maharashtra gears up for budget discussions and intergovernmental negotiations, raising the paddy procurement target could become a policy lever to cushion farmer revenue variability, support rural consumption, and uphold equitable food security objectives. The outcome of this appeal may influence district-level agricultural planning and broader crop support policy in the 2026 marketing season.
