Uttar Pradesh paddy procurement injects ₹5,000 crore into rural economy

The Uttar Pradesh government has paid over ₹5,000 crore for paddy procurement in the ongoing kharif marketing season 2025-26 so far. 

 

The state has procured around 2.14 million tonnes (Mt) of paddy this season, out of its target of 6 Mt. 

 

The minimum support price (MSP) for paddy this season is ₹2,369 per quintal for common variety, and ₹2,389 per quintal for Grade A. If the purchase target is met, the institutional paddy procurement will translate into a farm income of more than ₹14,000 crore. 

 

The UP food department has also procured roughly 160,000 tonnes of bajra (pearl millet) for ₹450 crore. This takes overall kharif payments to the sum of ₹5,500 crore so far. 

 

According to a senior official from the UP food and civil supplies department, the state has established 4,650 procurement centres for purchasing paddy at MSP. “The payments to farmers are made directly to their Aadhar registered bank accounts through the direct benefit transfer mechanism,” he said.

 

Over 783,000 farmers have registered for the paddy sale this year, up from the 670,000 registrations last year. For bajra sale, registrations have crossed 80,000, a significant jump from the 21,630 farmers who had registered last year. 

 

The MSP for jowar (maldandi) is ₹3,749 per quintal, jowar (hybrid) ₹3,699 per quintal, bajra ₹2,775 per quintal, and maize ₹2,400 per quintal. 

 

The government is also encouraging farmers in the state to cultivate crops like pulses, oilseeds and nutri-cereals to supplement domestic demand.