Bhubaneswar: In a significant step to streamline the state’s paddy procurement process, Chief Secretary Anu Garg chaired a high-level meeting with representatives of the All Odisha Rice Mills Association (AORMA) at the conference hall of Lok Seva Bhawan today.
The discussions focused on resolving longstanding issues faced by rice millers during the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26 and pending operations from the previous 2024-25 season.
The meeting was attended by key officials, including Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister’s Office Shashwat Mishra, Former Principal Secretary (Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare) Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Managing Director of Odisha State Supply Corporation Ltd. K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, along with the President, Secretary, and other members of the AORMA.
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 attentively heard the grievances and assured a thorough examination of all issues, promising prompt steps toward resolution. The AORMA emphasized 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 comes 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 multiple districts.
