Indian states implement new protocols for paddy procurement

Indian states Tamil Nadu and Telangana have initiated measures for the 2026-27 paddy procurement season to support farmers and secure agricultural supply chains.

In Tamil Nadu, procurement has commenced across delta and non-delta districts. The state government has set procurement prices at Rs 2,750 per quintal for Grade-A paddy and Rs 2,600 per quintal for common paddy. To support farmers, incentives for Grade-A paddy were increased from Rs 156 to Rs 289 per quintal, while common paddy incentives rose from Rs 131 to Rs 159 per quintal. A WhatsApp-based grievance mechanism has been established through the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation to allow farmers to report irregularities or demands for money.

In Telangana, the Civil Supplies department is preparing for an estimated 65 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy arrivals. The state is implementing a ‘Storage, Hamali and Transport’ (SHT) strategy to expand storage capacity using rice mills, industrial sheds, and market facilities. To ensure transparency and prevent stock diversion, the department is mandating the use of GPS-based Vehicle Location Tracking Systems (VLTS) for all transport vehicles and deploying a new mobile application for supervisory inspections.