Centre allows up to 10% damaged paddy, Punjab farmers see little benefit

The Centre has finally announced long-awaited relaxations in paddy procurement specifications, but the decision came on a day when the procurement process is nearly over in the state.

With over 150 lakh metric tonne (LMT) paddy already procured and only 5-10 LMT still expected in mandis, officials and stakeholders said the relaxations were “too little, too late”.

Punjab had repeatedly urged the Centre to relax quality norms following extensive crop damage due to heavy rains and floods in August-September. A Central team had inspected mandis between October 13 and 17 and collected samples, but the announcement came only today.

Under the revised norms, the permissible limit for damaged, discoloured, sprouted and weevilled grains has been increased from 5 per cent to 10 per cent. However, within that, the share of damaged, sprouted, or weevilled grains cannot exceed 4 per cent. The relaxations apply across Punjab and Chandigarh for the current kharif marketing season (KMS) 2025-26, with no value cuts.

Officials said the samples taken by the central team showed damage ranging from 7 to 22 per cent, the highest being in Gurdaspur. The problem stemmed from untimely post-monsoon rain and flooding.

Farmers may see little benefit, as most of the crop has already been sold at the minimum support price of Rs 2,390 per quintal without deductions. But the state’s rice millers expressed concern over the unchanged milling requirements.

“The out-turn ratio for rice remains 67 per cent. We must deliver 67 kg rice from every 100 kg paddy, although much of it is damaged or discoloured,” said Ranjit Singh Josan of the Punjab Rice Industries Association. “We expected relaxation in the out-turn ratio, and since it hasn’t happened, we will take up the matter with the Centre,” he added.

The Centre’s directive also requires the state to store paddy procured under relaxed norms separately and develop drying facilities at procurement sites. It clarified that any losses or quantity shortages will be the state government’s responsibility and not compensated by the Centre. The relaxed stock must be milled immediately, and the resulting rice must meet uniform specifications.

Policy update

The Centre has relaxed paddy norms to allow up to 10% damaged or discoloured grains

Farmers gain little as most paddy already sold; rice millers worry over unchanged output ratio

Punjab told to store, dry and mill relaxed stock quickly, without seeking Central compensation