Tripura government to procure 18,000 MT of paddy at enhanced MSP from January 28. The initiative aims to boost farmers’ income, strengthen rural economy, ensure price stability, and support agricultural growth under a new procurement policy framework.
The Tripura government has announced plans to procure 18,000 metric tons (MT) of paddy from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the upcoming procurement cycle, beginning January 28. The decision is aimed at strengthening farmers’ incomes, ensuring price stability, and boosting the rural economy across the state.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury made the announcement on Thursday while addressing a press conference at the Civil Secretariat. He said the procurement drive will begin from the North Tripura district headquarters at Dharmanagar and will be jointly implemented by the departments of food and agriculture.
According to Chowdhury, the decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manik Saha. The state government has set a clear procurement target to ensure that farmers receive assured prices for their produce without delays or exploitation by middlemen.
The minister informed that the MSP for paddy has been enhanced to Rs 23.69 per kilogram from the earlier rate of Rs 23. He said this revision reflects the government’s commitment to protecting farmers from market fluctuations and rising input costs.
Chowdhury highlighted that Tripura has already made significant progress in paddy procurement over the years. “So far, the state has cumulatively procured 2,44,303.795 MT of paddy, benefiting 1,25,454 farmers,” he said. An amount of Rs 489.71 crore has been disbursed directly to farmers against procurement payments, contributing significantly to rural liquidity and economic circulation.
He further stated that the central government has instructed all states to procure paddy at MSP, with assurance of reimbursement of funds at a later stage. Chowdhury alleged that the previous state government had failed to carry out procurement despite such directives, depriving farmers of guaranteed prices.
To address past challenges, the present government has introduced a new policy framework to streamline paddy procurement. The new system focuses on transparency, timely payments, and better coordination between departments to avoid procedural delays.
Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath, who was also present at the press conference, said the procurement initiative is part of a broader strategy to raise farmers’ incomes and improve agricultural productivity in the state. He noted that the average monthly income of farmers in Tripura has increased from Rs 6,580 in 2015–16 to Rs 13,590 at present.
Nath added that agricultural production has also shown steady growth. Paddy production in the state stood at 7,70,000 MT in 2017–18 and has now increased to 8,30,000 MT, reflecting improved farming practices and policy support.
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He also shared data on the state’s economic growth, stating that Tripura’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rose from Rs 43,716 crore in 2017–18 to Rs 89,687 crore last year, with the current GSDP estimated at Rs 98,279 crore. The state has set ambitious targets of achieving a GSDP of Rs 1,64,000 crore by 2030 and Rs 10,038,000 crore by 2047.
The upcoming procurement drive is expected to further reinforce farmer confidence, stabilize agricultural markets, and support Tripura’s long-term economic growth.
