Odisha govt clarifies AgriStack registration not mandatory for Kharif paddy procurement
Bhubaneswar, Aug 10
The Odisha Government on Monday clarified that AgriStack registration is not mandatory for farmers to sell paddy during the upcoming Kharif procurement season 2026-27, assuring that no farmer will be denied the opportunity to sell their produce for lack of a Farmer ID.
The decision was taken at an Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.
The meeting was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, and Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta.
The government said both registration slips, with and without AgriStack registration, are valid for paddy procurement. Registrations are currently being facilitated at the nearest Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Common Service Centres (CSCs).
The Inter-Ministerial Committee set a target of registering at least 50% of farmers for the Kharif season. To achieve this, the Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, and Cooperation departments will coordinate closely at the administrative level, supported by the Revenue Department. So far, 94,657 farmers have registered to sell paddy for Kharif 2026-27, with Balasore recording the highest number of registrations.
To prevent misinformation regarding registration and sale, the state government has launched awareness drives at the sub-division and Gram Panchayat levels across Odisha. Village Agricultural Workers (VAWs) will assist farmers with registration, while officials have been directed to provide registration receipts to applicants.
The meeting also reviewed procurement during the 2025-26 Rabi season, when 20.46 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were procured from 3,63,553 farmers, compared to 19.18 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25.
As of now, Rs 4,844 crore has been disbursed towards MSP and input assistance to 3,63,149 farmers.
Meanwhile, the government is formulating special guidelines for sharecroppers to address potential difficulties in the registration and procurement process.
Notably, AgriStack is an integrated farmer platform that consolidates farmer data, generating a unique Farmer ID upon registration to facilitate seamless access to government benefits. To date, around 6,00,000 farmers have registered on the platform.
The state government reassured that it remains fully committed to ensuring that no farmer in Odisha is excluded from selling their paddy crop.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's good that they've made it optional, but why even introduce this AgriStack system in the first place? Every year they come up with some new scheme that confuses farmers. The government should first ensure that every farmer has access to proper internet and smartphones before pushing digital registrations. Otherwise, it's just creating unnecessary hurdles for hardworking people.
As a farmer from Balasore, I can tell you that registration process is still a headache. The PACS offices are crowded and the staff doesn't have enough training. Even though they say it's not mandatory, they're pushing us to register while we come to sell. Hope they streamline the process before the actual procurement starts. Also, priority should be given to sharecroppers who often get left out.
Finally, some sensible decision! But I'm concerned about the 50% registration target - why the pressure to register when it's not compulsory? Also, with MSP payments pending for many farmers, they should focus on clearing those first before adding more digital layers. Is anyone tracking how many farmers actually receive their payments on time?
The Village Agricultural Workers helping with registration is a good idea, but they need better infrastructure too. Most villages don't have reliable power or internet connectivity. The state government should collaborate with telecom providers to ensure smooth connectivity in rural areas before rolling out such digital initiatives. Otherwise, farmers will always be dependent on middlemen.
Interesting approach - making AgriStack voluntary while still pushing for adoption. From what I've seen in other states, mandatory digital systems often fail because of poor digital literacy. This flexible approach might actually build trust gradually. The awareness
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