Bihar paddy procurement at Rs 2,441 MSP to start November 1
Representative image: MLbay / Pixabay
Bihar will buy paddy at the Rs 2,441 MSP from November 1, 2026 in north Bihar and November 15 in south Bihar through PACS and Vyapar Mandals.
What Happened
The Bihar government will start buying paddy from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP) from November 1, 2026 in north Bihar and from November 15 in south Bihar, according to reports on the state's plan for the 2026-27 kharif marketing season published in the week of October 17. Farmers will be paid Rs 2,441 a quintal for common-grade paddy and Rs 2,461 for Grade A, the MSP fixed by the Centre for this season. Purchases will be made through primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) at the panchayat level and Vyapar Mandal cooperatives at the block level.
Key Facts
- Start dates: November 1, 2026 in north Bihar and November 15, 2026 in south Bihar.
- Prices: Rs 2,441 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2,461 for Grade A, the central MSP for 2026-27, up Rs 72 from Rs 2,369 last season.
- Where to sell: PACS in the panchayat and Vyapar Mandals at block level, both cooperative bodies.
- Quantity limits: up to 250 quintals for registered raiyat (land-owning) farmers and up to 100 quintals for non-raiyat farmers, such as sharecroppers, according to the scheme's published guidance.
- Payment: money is to reach the farmer's bank account within 48 hours, with an SMS alert, the guidance says.
- Gunny bags: charged separately at Rs 25 per quintal, according to the same guidance.
- Target: a report said Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary directed that buying start in November and that raising the target to 50 lakh tonnes was under consideration; no final figure has been confirmed.
Why It Matters
For Bihar's paddy farmers, government procurement is the main protection against selling below cost. In the weeks after harvest, private traders often offer less than the MSP when large quantities reach the market at once. A clear start date, fixed prices and a payment promise of 48 hours give farmers a reference point when they decide whether to sell to a trader or wait for the cooperative centre to open.
The staggered dates open procurement in the north first and give the southern districts a later start. Farmers in the south have an extra two weeks before PACS begin buying, and they will need to plan storage and drying, since procurement centres usually check moisture and quality before accepting grain.
The cooperative channel matters for the state's rural economy. PACS are village-level credit societies, and procurement gives them business and working capital as well as a role in serving farmers. How quickly they are paid, and whether they have enough storage and transport, often decides whether procurement runs smoothly or stalls.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| North Bihar start | November 1, 2026 |
| South Bihar start | November 15, 2026 |
| MSP, common paddy | Rs 2,441 per quintal |
| MSP, Grade A | Rs 2,461 per quintal |
| Limit per farmer | 250 quintals (raiyat), 100 quintals (non-raiyat) |
What farmers should do: register on the state's cooperative department procurement portal before the season opens, keep land or tenancy documents and bank details ready, dry the harvest to the required moisture level, and confirm the nearest PACS or Vyapar Mandal centre and its schedule.
Impact
Short-term: once centres open, farmers who sell at the MSP should receive Rs 72 a quintal more than last season's rate. Market prices in Bihar's grain markets are likely to respond as government buying begins.
Long-term: if the target is raised and procurement is completed on time, more Bihar farmers could benefit from assured prices, which supports incomes and encourages continued paddy cultivation. Delays or payment hold-ups would push farmers back to private sales below the MSP.
Who is affected: paddy farmers across Bihar, including sharecroppers who sell under the non-raiyat limit, PACS and Vyapar Mandal cooperatives, rice mills that receive the grain, and traders in local markets.
Key Takeaway
Bihar will buy paddy at Rs 2,441 a quintal from November 1 in the north and November 15 in the south, with payment promised within 48 hours through PACS and Vyapar Mandals.
Questions and Answers
When does Bihar's paddy procurement start in 2026?
Procurement at MSP begins on November 1, 2026 in north Bihar and on November 15, 2026 in south Bihar, according to reports on the state's plan.
What is the paddy MSP in Bihar for 2026-27?
Rs 2,441 per quintal for common-grade paddy and Rs 2,461 per quintal for Grade A, the central MSP for this season.
How much paddy can one farmer sell?
Up to 250 quintals for registered raiyat farmers and up to 100 quintals for non-raiyat farmers, according to the published scheme guidance.
How quickly will farmers be paid?
The guidance says payment is to reach the farmer's bank account within 48 hours of sale, with an SMS alert.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
