Raipur: Ahead of the commencement of paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh, the Sai government has taken a significant step in the interest of farmers. For the Kharif marketing year 2026-27, the mandatory requirement for farmers to sell 21 quintals of paddy per acre has been relaxed. If a farmer’s harvest is lower—resulting in the sale of less than 21 quintals—they will still be eligible to receive the ‘input assistance’ (aid) amount under the Krishak Unnati Yojana (Farmers’ Prosperity Scheme) for the remaining portion of their eligible quota. This government initiative is expected to protect farmers with lower yields from financial losses and help curb the activities of middlemen involved in the illegal trade of paddy.
Millions of farmers to benefit from the new system
The state government has amended the provisions of the Krishak Unnati Yojana. Under the new arrangement, the input assistance provided for paddy will be calculated on a ‘per-acre’ basis rather than a ‘per-quintal’ basis. This ensures that farmers can still receive the full benefits of the scheme, even if their actual yield is lower than expected. This decision is set to benefit millions of farmers across the state.
Benefits extended to the remaining 6-quintal quota even if only 15 quintals are sold
The new system can be illustrated with an example: Suppose a farmer owns one acre of agricultural land and is eligible to sell a maximum of 21 quintals of paddy. However, due to a lower yield, the farmer is only able to sell 15 quintals at the procurement center.
In such a scenario, the farmer will receive the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the 15 quintals sold. Additionally, in accordance with the scheme’s rules, the farmer will also receive the input assistance amount corresponding to the remaining 6 quintals.
This arrangement eliminates the need for farmers to purchase extra paddy from the open market just to meet the eligibility threshold for sale at the procurement center.
Curbing middlemen and the illegal paddy trade
Previously, in many regions, farmers’ actual yields were often less than 21 quintals per acre. Despite this, some farmers felt compelled to purchase paddy from external sources to meet the stipulated quota and claim the full benefits of the scheme. Intermediaries and brokers used to take advantage of this. According to reports, paddy was purchased through such individuals at a rate of ₹2,100 to ₹2,400 per quintal and then offloaded at government procurement centers. The new system will help curb such activities, while ensuring that genuine farmers receive benefits in accordance with their eligibility.
Arrangement to provide benefits at the rate of ₹3,100 per quintal
For the Kharif marketing year 2026-27, the Central Government has set the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for ‘common’ grade paddy at ₹2,441 per quintal and for ‘Grade-A’ paddy at ₹2,461 per quintal. This represents an increase of ₹72 per quintal over the previous year’s MSP.
Additionally, the Chhattisgarh government is making arrangements to provide farmers with a total benefit of ₹3,100 per quintal by incorporating an ‘input support’ component under the ‘Krishak Unnati Yojana’.
Farmers can sell paddy using existing registrations
To simplify the paddy procurement process, the government has eased registration requirements. For farmers whose registrations were completed last year and are linked to an ‘AgriStack ID’, those existing registrations will remain valid for the current year. This spares farmers the inconvenience of re-registering or re-submitting documents.
Furthermore, the actual land area cultivated by farmers is being determined through a ‘Digital Crop Survey’. To ensure transparency at procurement centers, a biometric verification system is also being implemented.
To facilitate the sale of paddy, 360 new procurement centers have been opened this year. Consequently, paddy procurement across the state will now be conducted through a total of 3,100 centers.
How much paddy has been procured over the last five years? The figures for paddy procurement in Chhattisgarh over the last five Kharif marketing years are as follows:
Kharif Year | Paddy Procurement
2021-22 | 97.98 lakh metric tonnes
2022-23 | 107.52 lakh metric tonnes
2023-24 | 144.92 lakh metric tonnes
2024-25 | 149 lakh metric tonnes
2025-26 | 141 lakh metric tonnes
The government claims that the new system will provide relief to genuine farmers. Furthermore, it will enhance transparency in paddy procurement and help in effectively curbing irregularities caused by middlemen.
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