In an important push to support the paddy growers, the Tripura government is launching a state-wide paddy procurement initiative for current Rabi season from July 26.

A target has been set to procure over 14 lakh metric tonnes of paddy directly from farmers at minimum support price (MSP), Agriculture minister Ratanlal Nath announced on Monday following a preparatory meeting.

The meeting was held via video conferencing, bringing together key officials and public representatives to finalize arrangements. The session was jointly organized by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department.

Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Food Minister Sushanta Chowdhury chaired the session from the state Secretariat, underlining the administration’s focus on ensuring smooth, fair, and transparent procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The ministers reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminate middlemen and procedural bottlenecks so that benefits of the MSP reach farmers directly. They called for robust coordination among departments, local administration, and Panchayat bodies to execute the procurement drive efficiently.

Representatives who joined the virtual meeting included SDMs, BDOs, Panchayat Samiti chairpersons, Deputy Directors, agriculture officers, and field-level supervisors—signaling a multi-tier mobilization for successful implementation.

Officials emphasized the importance of timely logistics, clear communication with farmers, and accountability mechanisms to ensure the drive is farmer-centric and corruption-free.

The upcoming procurement operation is aimed at ensuring income support to farmers and stabilizing the rural economy during the post-harvest period.