Protests are intensifying across western Odisha as farmers voice strong opposition to the documentation requirements for Kharif paddy registration, alleging that the current system could prevent genuine cultivators—particularly sharecroppers—from selling their produce through the government procurement network.
Demonstrations have been reported from Bargarh and Titlagarh, where farmers took to the streets demanding a simpler and more inclusive registration process. While the Odisha government has clarified that an Agristack (Farmer Registry) number is not mandatory for paddy registration, cultivators say several other documentation requirements continue to create significant hurdles.
Sharecroppers Raise Concerns Over Documentation
The primary concern revolves around requirements such as consent letters from landowners, land classification records and other ownership-related documents needed during the registration process.
Farmers cultivating leased or shared land argue that obtaining these documents is often difficult, making sharecroppers particularly vulnerable to exclusion from the procurement system.
Protesters say many genuine cultivators may fail to complete registration despite actively growing paddy, potentially affecting their ability to sell their harvest at government procurement centres.
Farmers Allege Rules Could Reduce Procurement
Farmer organisations have alleged that the complex registration process could ultimately reduce the quantity of paddy purchased by the government.
They contend that additional paperwork places an unnecessary burden on cultivators and have demanded that procurement be extended to all eligible farmers, regardless of complicated documentation requirements.
The protesters are calling for the registration system to be simplified so that small and marginal farmers are not denied access to the procurement process.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha Backs Farmers’ Demand
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has extended its support to the agitating farmers and urged the state government to revise the registration framework.
The farmers’ collective has demanded that the procurement process remain accessible to every eligible cultivator and that documentation requirements be streamlined, especially for sharecroppers and tenant farmers.
Government Clarifies Agristack Not Mandatory
Amid the growing protests, the Odisha government clarified that possessing an Agristack or Farmer Registry number is not compulsory for registering to sell Kharif paddy.
However, the clarification has not fully addressed the concerns of protesting farmers, who maintain that issues relating to consent letters, land records and other documentation continue to remain unresolved.
Demand for an Inclusive Procurement System
Farmer groups say their objective is not to oppose digitisation or reform but to ensure that the registration process does not exclude genuine cultivators.
They have urged the government to introduce a simplified, farmer-friendly registration mechanism that enables all eligible cultivators—including sharecroppers—to participate in Kharif paddy procurement without unnecessary procedural barriers.
As the Kharif procurement season approaches, the government is expected to engage with farmer organisations to address the concerns and ensure a smoother registration process across Odisha.
