Approval Granted for Government Procurement of Paddy in Haryana Starting September 29

New Delhi: At the special request of the state government, the Centre has granted approval to commence the procurement of paddy from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the central pool in Haryana, starting September 29 (today) of this year. This information was conveyed in a letter sent by the Union Ministry of Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution to the Food Secretary of Haryana.

The letter states that the Haryana government had previously written to the Centre—first on September 15 and then on September 23—requesting permission to begin paddy procurement in the state for the 2026-27 Kharif marketing season on September 29, 2026, instead of the scheduled date of October 1, 2026. This request was made because the crop has matured in several areas, and harvesting operations have already begun; a delay in starting procurement beyond September 29 could cause difficulties for the farmers.

The Union Food Ministry's letter notes that while permission is being granted to start government paddy procurement in Haryana from September 29, 2026, the state government must adhere to certain terms and conditions issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution.

Under these conditions, robust security measures and verification systems must be implemented throughout the Kharif season to prevent any instances of irregular procurement. The paddy yield rate must be assessed and determined on a district-wise basis to avoid discrepancies between production and procurement figures. To improve the procurement process, the authenticity of farmers' land documents must be verified. The Haryana government is required to inform the Centre about the precise implementation of these measures as soon as possible.