The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of throwing the paddy procurement process in the Kharif season into disarray, leaving thousands of farmers sleepless as they wait to sell their harvest.
In a sharply-worded letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday (February 9, 2026), BJD supremo and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik says, “agriculture is the lifeline of Odisha, yet the current Kharif procurement season has become a period of profound struggle for our farmers due to administrative apathy and the blatant violation of promises made to the people.”
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“During the 2024 elections, as per Point No. 2 of your Party’s (BJP’s) manifesto, you made solemn commitments to the farming community regarding enhanced minimum support price and stopping of Katni-Chhatni (deduction of paddy on account of fair average quality). However, the ground reality across Mandis tells a story of betrayal,” Mr. Patnaik mentioned in his letter.
“Thousands of farmers are spending sleepless nights under the open sky, guarding their paddy from dew and theft, as the lifting of stocks remains agonisingly slow. The lack of basic facilities, the failure of the token system, and the delay in payment — which was promised within 48 hours through direct benefit transfer but is taking weeks in many cases — have pushed the farmers to the brink of agitation,” the former Chief Minister drew attention to.
