Telangana seeks increased paddy procurement, CMR deadline extension

The Telangana government has asked the Centre to increase the paddy procurement quota for the Yasangi (Rabi) 2025-26 season and extend deadlines for supplying Custom Milled Rice, citing record procurement and logistical challenges.

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday urged the Centre to increase the paddy procurement quota for the Yasangi (Rabi) 2025-26 season and extend the deadline for supplying Custom Milled Rice (CMR). The State government made these requests citing record procurement and logistical challenges.

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, met Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Prahlad Joshi in New Delhi on Tuesday, and submitted a representation in this regard.

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In the representation, Uttam Kumar Reddy sought an increase in the Rabi procurement target from 35 lakh metric tonnes of rice to 54.5 lakh metric tonnes, equivalent to the 80.09 lakh metric tonnes of paddy already procured by the State. He said the target fixed by the Centre was significantly lower than Telangana’s production estimates.

He said Telangana procured more than 152 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the 2025-26 marketing season, including both Vanakalam (Kharif) and Yasangi (Rabi) crops, and had repeatedly purchased paddy beyond the Centre’s allocated targets to protect farmers’ interests.

The State also requested a 60-day extension for supplying CMR from Rabi 2024-25 and a 120-day extension for Kharif 2025-26. The government cited storage constraints, simultaneous procurement operations, pressure on milling capacity and unseasonal weather conditions as reasons for seeking additional time.

The Ministers urged the Centre to permit supply of boiled rice from the Rabi crop, stating that a large portion of the produce was suitable for parboiling. The State government also urged the Centre to align future procurement targets with Telangana’s production and procurement estimates to ensure timely MSP support for farmers.