- Detailed review of preparations for paddy procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) and custom milling conducted during the Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting
- 360 new paddy procurement centers to be set up for farmers’ convenience; instructions issued to ensure necessary arrangements at all centers
- Emphasis placed on ensuring adequate availability of gunny bags
- Marketing Federation arranging for 3.64 lakh bales of new jute gunny bags
- 1.14 lakh bales of new jute gunny bags received so far; instructions issued to ensure timely availability of the remaining stock
- Instructions issued to accelerate the deposit of custom-milled rice
The state government has intensified preparations to ensure a smooth system for procuring paddy from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the upcoming Kharif Marketing Year 2026-27. A detailed review of preparations related to paddy procurement and custom milling was conducted during a Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on Thursday, September 24, under the chairmanship of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Minister Mr. Dayal Das Baghel. The meeting covered aspects such as farmers’ convenience, arrangements at paddy procurement centers, availability of jute gunny bags, and the progress of custom-milled rice deposits.
Agriculture Development and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Mr. Ramvichar Netam, Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, and Finance Minister Mr. O.P. Choudhary attended the meeting. The Cabinet Sub-Committee directed officials to complete all necessary arrangements in a timely manner before the commencement of paddy procurement to ensure that farmers face no inconvenience while selling their produce. Farmers to Benefit from 360 New Paddy Procurement Centers
It was announced during the meeting that 360 new paddy procurement centers have been opened in the state for the 2026-27 Kharif marketing year, keeping the convenience of farmers in mind. Instructions were issued to complete all necessary preparations related to paddy procurement at these new centers in a timely manner.
While reviewing the arrangements for paddy procurement at the new centers, the Cabinet Sub-Committee directed officials to ensure the availability of all necessary resources and facilities. The Sub-Committee emphasized that the entire procurement process should be farmer-centric and that farmers should not face any unnecessary inconvenience at the procurement centers.
Arrangement of 3.64 Lakh Bales of New Jute Gunny Bags
Reviewing the availability of gunny bags for paddy procurement, the Cabinet Sub-Committee directed that adequate arrangements be made for the required new and old jute gunny bags. It was reported that the Marketing Federation is arranging 3.64 lakh bales of new jute gunny bags through the Jute Commissioner, Kolkata.
So far, the Marketing Federation has received 1.14 lakh bales of new jute gunny bags. The Sub-Committee also directed that the availability of the remaining required gunny bags be ensured within a set timeframe so that the procurement process is not disrupted by a shortage of bags during paddy procurement.
Instructions to Accelerate Deposit of Custom-Milled Rice
The status of custom milling for the 2025-26 Kharif marketing year was also reviewed in detail during the meeting. Officials stated that the target is to deposit a total of 89 lakh tonnes of rice under custom milling. Of this, 37.50 lakh tonnes of rice have been deposited so far, while 51.50 lakh tonnes remain to be deposited by the millers. The deadline for depositing custom-milled rice has been set for March 31, 2027. Taking into account the remaining quantity of rice, the Cabinet Sub-Committee issued directives to accelerate the process of custom milling and rice deposition. Concerned officials were instructed to conduct regular reviews and ensure that the rice is deposited within the stipulated timeframe.
Senior officials from relevant departments attended the meeting, including Ms. Reena Baba Saheb Kangale (Secretary, Food Department), Mr. Jitendra Shukla (Managing Director, Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation), Mr. Vilas Bhoskar (Managing Director, Civil Supplies Corporation), Mr. Chandan Kumar (Special Secretary, Finance Department), and Mr. Ramesh Kumar Sharma (Registrar, Cooperative Societies).