A high-level delegation from Odisha, led by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, has formally urged the Central Government to increase the procurement quota for parboiled rice from the state. The delegation is seeking to raise the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) lifting limit from the current 20 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 25 LMT for the central pool.
The request was submitted via a formal memorandum to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday.
Key Highlights of the Proposal:
Target Increase: The delegation has requested an additional 5 lakh metric tonnes in offtake capacity to accommodate Odisha’s high production levels of parboiled rice.
Procurement Momentum: The move comes as Odisha’s total rice procurement target for the 2024-25 Kharif and Rabi seasons was recently scaled up from 50 lakh tonnes to 58 lakh tonnes.
Farmer Welfare: Officials emphasized that immediate lifting of surplus parboiled rice is essential to maintain procurement momentum and ensure farmers receive timely payments as the 2025-26 Kharif season begins.
National Food Security: The delegation noted that while the move primarily benefits Odisha’s agricultural economy, it also serves to bolster the national food security infrastructure.
Market Context
Odisha is a major producer of parboiled rice, a variety that undergoes a partial boiling process before milling to retain more nutrients. However, the state often faces logistical bottlenecks if the central pool (FCI) does not move stocks quickly enough to make room for new harvests.
The delegation expressed gratitude for the Centre’s recent decision to hike the overall procurement target to 58 lakh tonnes, noting that it has significantly boosted the confidence of the local farming community. Industry analysts suggest that if the Centre approves the additional 5 LMT quota for parboiled rice, it will provide much-needed liquidity to the state’s milling industry and ensure a smoother transition between harvest seasons.
Minister Pralhad Joshi has reportedly taken the memorandum into consideration, though a final decision on the revised offtake limit is pending departmental review.
