Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Assam has achieved an impressive 89 per cent of its paddy procurement target for the two Kharif Marketing Seasons (KMS) 2024–25, even as poor procurement of paddy by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) continues to be irksome. It has also come to light that the authorities concerned should raise the state’s paddy procurement target in view of surplus paddy production.
According to official data, four agencies in the state procured 850,564.54 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy against the target of 9,53,983 MT, benefiting 66,530 farmers during KMS 2024–25. As many as 99,142 farmers had applied for registration in the procurement drive, and 94,758 of them registered their names successfully. The registered farmers reported having 12,32,437 MT of paddy available for sale, which is 2.79 lakh MT more than the government’s procurement target. It is a clear indication of the state’s paddy procurement target needing a raise.
Four agencies—Assam Food & Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (AFCSCL), Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (ASAMB), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), and Food Corporation of India (FCI)—participated in the procurement process during this season. Among them, FCI’s procurement remained dismal, achieving only 17.15 per cent of its target. Against a target of 1,02,369.85 MT, the central agency procured just 17,562.5 MT of paddy. This marks yet another year of underperformance by FCI in Assam, raising questions over its role and commitment in the state’s procurement efforts.
In contrast, NAFED emerged as the top performer, procuring 1,70,095.80 MT against its target of 1,39,358.1 MT, achieving 122.05%. The AFCSCL followed with 93.51%, procuring 6,54,389.04 MT against its target of 6,99,801 MT, while ASAMB achieved 68.38% of its target by procuring 8,517.2 MT.
Farmers’ groups and agriculture experts have urged the Assam government to take up FCI’s repeated shortfall with the Centre, saying its lack of interest in procurement “hurts farmers who depend on MSP-based sales.” They also demanded that the state increase its procurement target to absorb more of the available paddy stock.
Meanwhile, for the upcoming KMS 2025–26, the Central Government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy.
The MSP for Common Paddy has been fixed at Rs 2,369 per quintal, and for Grade A Paddy at Rs 2,389 per quintal, compared to Rs 2,300 and Rs 2,320, respectively, in the 2024–25 season — a welcome move expected to boost farmer income further.