Chapter 3

Procurement

After the harvest comes procurement of paddy: the first step in the supply chain of government-subsidized rice. This is when paddy is collected from farmers and is sent to designated mills. Other than direct subsidies, this is the largest intervention by the government towards benefit of the farmer – especially the small and marginal ones. Once harvest concludes and threshed grain is readied by the farmer, it is the government’s prerogative to procure the paddy through designated means. The paddy procurement year is called the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) and runs from October to September, commencing when aman paddy—by far the most important crop—is harvested.

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