How a ‘smart’ system turned sour for Sirsa paddy farmers

The Sirsa grain market reopened this week for private paddy procurement after a short break, but the new digital token system introduced by the Haryana Government seems to test farmers’ patience.

The online process, aimed at ensuring transparency and eliminating fake sales, has been marred by repeated technical failures a mere three days after its launch.

Farmers from nearby villages reached the market early, stacking their paddy in neat heaps, but many were forced to return home empty-handed because the Meri Fasal-Mera Byora portal and mobile phone application worked only intermittently.

Why was the digital system introduced?

The state government has shifted to a digital token-based system for paddy procurement. Farmers must log in to the Meri Fasal-Mera Byora (MFMB) portal using their registered mobile numbers to get a token confirming their turn for sale. The system verifies the farmer’s presence through a location-based one-time password (OTP), ensuring that only genuine sellers access the platform. Officials say the move is meant to increase transparency and curb fake or multiple entries.

Why are farmers facing problems?

Despite efforts to stabilise the system, technical glitches persist. By Wednesday, the portal crashed frequently — sometimes working, sometimes not.

Farmers whose entries were processed could sell their produce, while others had to return without making a sale. Officials admitted that Tuesday was particularly difficult, as the portal repeatedly froze and servers lagged.

With no functional backup registration counter, many farmers spent hours in queues or sought help from relatives and agents to navigate the app.

What do authorities say about the issues?

Officials of the market committee acknowledged the issues, but called them “teething troubles” of a new system.“Since the digital process is still in its early phase, such difficulties are expected. Once farmers become familiar with it, things will run smoothly,” one official said.

They said a team was working to fix glitches and improve server capacity.

How have farmers been affected?

The inconsistent portal has created uncertainty and frustration. Gagandeep from Darbi said he managed to sell his paddy after several failed attempts.

Balraj from Jhopra could not complete his sale because of OTP errors. Ramchandra from Bharokhan, an elderly farmer, said he got help from his family to operate the application, finally securing his token in the afternoon.

Many farmers say the government’s digital push is a positive step but must come with reliable infrastructure and better guidance. Until the system stabilises, the promise of transparent and efficient procurement remains out of reach for many.