State Registers Historic Paddy Procurement with ₹31,000-Crore Farmer Payments

Andhra Pradesh has scripted a new milestone in agricultural procurement, recording its highest-ever paddy procurement while ensuring swift payments to farmers through a technology-driven and transparent system. The state procured 74 lakh tonnes of paddy , with more than ₹31,000 crore transferred to farmers, reflecting the government's efforts to modernise procurement and strengthen farmer welfare.

Reviewing the procurement process with officials, rice millers and farmer representatives in Vijayawada , Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar said a series of reforms introduced over the past two years had transformed paddy procurement into a faster, more transparent and farmer-centric system. He noted that close coordination between the Civil Supplies Department , procurement agencies and millers had enabled the state to achieve record procurement levels.

The minister said the government procured 74 lakh tonnes of paddy during the second year of the NDA government , a sharp increase from the 42 lakh tonnes procured during the corresponding period under the previous administration between 2019 and 2024. The total procurement value touched ₹31,000 crore , benefiting more than 11 lakh farmers across the state.

Highlighting one of the biggest reforms, Nadendla Manohar said 95% of payments were credited directly into farmers' bank accounts within 24 hours , eliminating the long delays that had troubled growers in previous years. Faster payments have also improved farmers' liquidity, enabling them to prepare for the next cropping season without depending on costly informal credit.

To improve transparency, the government has introduced QR-code-based Track and Trace technology , enabling every paddy bag to be monitored from the farmer to the ration shop. Farmers can now register paddy sales through WhatsApp , while procurement processes such as gunny bag distribution, warehouse management, transportation and moisture testing have been digitised. The state will also deploy RFID technology to track vehicles transporting paddy.

The minister announced that gunny bags will be made available at Rythu Seva Kendras from the upcoming Kharif season , while transport charges will be credited to farmers' bank accounts within 48 hours . To eliminate disputes over quality assessment, Andhra Pradesh is also standardising moisture meters across procurement centres, with nearly 90% of the work already completed .

The government is simultaneously strengthening food security by supplying high-quality BPT rice under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and to welfare hostels. The minister added that the Centre has accepted Andhra Pradesh's 10% broken rice policy for nationwide implementation , recognising the state's procurement model as a best practice.

However, Nadendla Manohar cautioned that El Niño conditions could reduce paddy production by around 15% this season. He assured farmers that the government would conduct awareness programmes, provide timely technical guidance and extend all necessary support to minimise the impact of adverse weather, reaffirming its commitment to protecting farmers' interests while building a more efficient and transparent procurement system.