Bhubaneswar, August 31: With the deadline for registration of farmers for kharif marketing season 2026-27, the Odisha Government on Monday that the farmer as many as 18,02,983 farmers have been registered so far in the State.

“The Farmer Registration for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 underway in the State. The registration process has started on August 6. So far, more than 18 lakh farmers have completed their registration,” said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department in a post on ‘X’.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Government has extended the deadline, scheduled to end today, by a week for farmers’ registration to participate in paddy procurement for the kharif season.

"The State Government had set August 31 as the last day for farmers’ registration. But it has come to our notice that some paddy farmers were unable to register themselves due to floods and heavy rainfall. On request of farmers, we have extended the deadline by seven days till September 7," said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushan Chandra Patra on Sunday.

Registration is currently underway in all districts through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS) and Pani Panchayat.

Meanwhile, the BJD, the main opposition force in the State, on Sunday strongly criticised the State Government over the alleged widespread irregularities and delays in the kharif paddy registration process in Odisha and demanded that the deadline be extended by at least 20 days till September 20.

Addressing a press conference, BJD vice-president and former Minister Sanjay Das Burma alleged that kharif paddy registration process in the State began 18 days after the scheduled date.

He alleged that 20 districts of the State had been severely affected by heavy rainfall and floods. The recurring floods for around three to five times this year, had caused extensive losses to the farmers. More than 4.5 lakh farmers have been left out of the registration process so far, he alleged.