THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 9, 2026
In a major relief to farmers ahead of paddy procurement in
Odisha, the state government has clarified that possession of an AgriStack ID
will not be mandatory for registering for paddy procurement, Food Supplies and
Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said on Sunday.
The clarification came amid growing focus on the use of
digital identification systems in agriculture, with the minister making it
clear that farmers will not be denied the opportunity to register for paddy
procurement merely because they do not have an AgriStack ID.
Patra said 5,093 farmers have so far registered for paddy
procurement in the state, of whom 3,108 have also registered for an AgriStack
ID.
“Till today, a total
of 5,093 farmers have registered for paddy procurement, of whom 3,108 have also
registered for an AgriStack ID. We are not making the AgriStack ID compulsory.
If a farmer does not have an AgriStack ID, they can still register for paddy
procurement and there will be no issue,” Patra told reporters.
The minister's statement makes it clear that the digital
identification system will not come in the way of farmers seeking to
participate in the state's paddy procurement process.
Patra also clarified that sharecroppers are eligible to register
for paddy procurement, putting to rest any uncertainty over their participation
in the procurement exercise.
“Sharecroppers have also registered,” he said.
The government’s clarification is significant for thousands of farmers and sharecroppers who depend on the paddy procurement system for selling their produce, as it ensures that the absence of an AgriStack ID will not prevent eligible farmers from registering for procurement.
