Constraints in Paddy Procurement in Kerala: Farmers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Paddy is a staple food crop in Kerala State, and the government's paddy procurement policy aims to support and strengthen farmers by ensuring a Minimum Support Price as well as maintaining market stability. The study aimed to identify and prioritise farmers' challenges in the paddy procurement system. The study was conducted during the agricultural year of 2023-2024 in the Palakkad and Alappuzha districts, the major rice-growing tracts among the districts of this State. A total of eight Panchayats were randomly selected from the two major procurement centres in each district, and ten farmers were randomly chosen from each Panchayat, resulting in a sample size of 160. The application of Garrett's ranking technique assessed the intensity of each constraint and ranked them among the top ten identified constraints. The study found that the absence of immediate payment of procurement price was the most significant issue with a total Garrett score of 12260 and an average score of 76.62. This delay in payment causes financial difficulties for farmers in continuing the cultivation for the next season. The difficulty to meet quality standards of procurement was the next severe challenge for the farmers. The study recommended policy interventions to overcome the challenges in paddy procurement in the State.