Bhubaneswar: In a significant step to expedite paddy procurement process in the state, Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg held a meeting with representatives of the All-Odisha Rice Millers’ Association (AORMA) in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
Officials said the discussions during the meeting focused on addressing various hurdles faced by rice millers in the collection, milling, and supply of rice under government schemes. Issues faced by rice millers during the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26 and pending operations from the previous 2024-25 season were discussed at length.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Shaswat Mishra, Principal Secretary (Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare) Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Managing Director of Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation Ltd K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, along with the President, Secretary, and other members of AORMA.
During the deliberations, millers highlighted several operational hurdles, including delays in supplying custom-milled rice to the government from paddy procured in the 2024-25 season, where approximately 10% of the milled rice remains pending. They pointed out challenges in handling newly collected paddy, prolonged storage in mills, and associated high rent and maintenance costs despite additional storage facilities provided by the State Food and Supplies Corporation.
The association also raised concerns over extended storage beyond prescribed periods and sought increased financial assistance for paddy collection and rice transportation. They proposed the establishment of large-scale paddy storage centers under the Chief Minister’s Agriculture and Industry Scheme to better manage long-term storage needs.
Chief Secretary Garg assured the millers that all issues would be examined thoroughly and prompt steps taken toward resolution. The AORMA stressed that paddy procurement, custom milling, and rice supply form a continuous process vital to the state’s food security and farmers’ interests, urging sustained government support to address these persistent challenges.
The meeting was held amid ongoing efforts to ensure smooth Kharif paddy procurement, with over 19.67 lakh farmers registered for the current season and significant volumes already lifted in several districts.
