Paddy Procurement Begins in a Week, but Haryana Rice Millers Hold Back CMR Registration

Paddy procurement in Haryana is scheduled to begin on October 1, but the state government faces a fresh challenge as rice millers are reluctant to register for the 2026-27 custom-milled rice (CMR) procurement season.

Of the nearly 1,400 rice millers in the state, only around 350 have registered so far. Millers say there is still a lack of clarity over pending rice from the previous procurement cycle, outstanding payments and norms governing paddy procurement. They are therefore holding back from registering for the new CMR season.

Earlier this week, rice millers met Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Arun Gupta and other senior officials in Chandigarh and urged the government to address their concerns. Their biggest concern is the possibility of around 2.5 lakh tonnes of CMR remaining pending from the previous procurement cycle. The millers want an assurance that the entire outstanding quantity will be accepted.

The Haryana Rice Millers and Dealers Association said the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had initially fixed a paddy acceptance target of 55 lakh metric tonnes for Haryana. However, government agencies procured around 62 lakh tonnes of paddy during the previous season.

On September 10, the Centre increased Haryana’s paddy acceptance target to 59.62 lakh metric tonnes for the 2025-26 season. It also extended the deadline for delivery of custom-milled rice against the enhanced quantity until September 30.

According to the association, millers have started delivering the pending rice, but the Food Corporation of India has indicated that it will not accept more than 59.62 lakh metric tonnes. As a result, around 2.5 lakh tonnes of rice from the previous season could remain pending. The association has demanded that the entire remaining quantity be accepted.

Millers have also sought the release of pending milling, holding, blending and transportation charges.