Odisha government fixed a tentative target to procure 3.6 MMT in terms of rice ( around 5.3 MMT in terms of paddy ) during the 2017-18 Khariff Marketing season (KMS).The state Cabinet chaired by CM approved the Food and Procurement Policy for 2017-18 KMS to regulate all aspects of paddy and rice procurement during the KMS. Briefing the media after the meeting Chief Secretary A P Padhi said the target is fixed for the entire KMS covering khariff and Rabi procurement. There is no bar for procurement of any higher quantum if more paddy comes to Mandi from registered farmers. In 2015-16 and 2016-17 paddy to the tune of 50.87 lakh metric tons and 64.27 LMT was procured respectively. In terms of rice it was 34.44 LMT and 36.80 LMT respectively. The Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare has been authorized to revise the target if needed. Kharif paddy will be procured from farmers who are registered in the online portal of FS & CW department from November 2017 to April 2018 and Rabi paddy would be procured during May and June 2018.He said paddy would be procured as per the MSP declared by the Union government. While the Common variety of paddy would be procured at Rs 1550 per quintal Grade-A variety would be procured at Rs 1590 per quintal.Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation which does more than 95 per cent of procurement will procure paddy in all districts and other state agencies, if necessary will be deployed in rice surplus districts only.He said payment of farmers dues shall be transferred by state agencies to their bank accounts through online mode.The Chief Secretary said at present the state requires 20 LMT of rice for its PDS and FCI will evacuate the balance rice to other states.In 2017-18 KMS the procurement process in all 294 procuring blocks will be done through P-Pas. Procurement will be made all over the state except 20 blocks due to lack of marketable surplus.