Paddy procurement in Western UP to begin on Oct 1

Lucknow, Sep 30 (PTI) Paddy procurement in Western Uttar Pradesh will start from Wednesday in a phased manner for the Kharif marketing year 2025-26, according to the state government.

Procurement will be carried out only from registered farmers, and payments will be transferred directly to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts within 48 hours, an official statement said on Tuesday.

In Western Uttar Pradesh, the procurement will commence on October 1, 2025, and continue until January 31, 2026, covering the divisions of Meerut, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Agra, Aligarh, and Jhansi, as well as the Hardoi, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Sitapur districts of the Lucknow division, it added.

In Eastern Uttar Pradesh, the procurement will commence on November 1, 2025, and run until February 28, 2026, covering the divisions of Chitrakoot, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Devipatan, Basti, Azamgarh, Varanasi, Mirzapur, and Prayagraj, as well as Lucknow, Rae Bareli, and Unnao districts of the Lucknow division, the government said.

As of September 30 (11 am), more than 23,500 farmers have registered for procurement. An OTP-based single registration system has been introduced, enabling farmers to register easily through their mobile phones.

The government said to ensure transparency and eliminate middlemen, paddy procurement at centres will be done through biometric verification using e-POP (Electronic Point of Purchase) devices.

Procurement centres will operate from 9 am to 5 pm daily.

The minimum support price (MSP) for paddy this year has been increased to Rs 2,369 per quintal for the common variety and Rs 2,389 per quintal for Grade A, according to the statement.

Farmers can register through the Food and Civil Supplies Department's website (fcs.up.gov.in) or via the UP Kisan Mitra mobile app.

For assistance, they can call the toll-free number 18001800150 or contact their District Food Marketing Officer, Regional Marketing Officer, or Block Marketing Inspector, it added.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the government said the purchase of 'Shree Anna' (coarse grains) will begin on October 1 and continue till December 31.

For the purchase of maize, millet, and sorghum, registration and renewal of farmers is ongoing.

According to the Food and Civil Supplies department, farmers must register or renew their details on the website or the UP KISAN MITRA app to avail the facility.

Purchases will be made only from registered farmers.

The state government has set the MSP at Rs 3,749 per quintal for sorghum (Maldandi), Rs 3,699 for sorghum (Hybrid), Rs 2,775 for millet, and Rs 2,400 for maize. PTI KIS BAL BAL