PRAYAGRAJ, Nov. 2 -- Paddy procurement in the Prayagraj division is set to begin on November 2, with the administration targeting the purchase of 5.63 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of the crop across its four districts. In a first, officials have introduced QR codes for rice bags on a pilot basis to facilitate digital tracking and curb black marketing. Furthermore, officials confirmed that all paddy transportation will be conducted exclusively via GPS-enabled trucks. The procurement drive for the 2026-27 kharif marketing season, originally scheduled for November 1 in eastern Uttar Pradesh, was deferred by one day due to a holiday. The process will continue through February 28, 2027. Another significant update this season is the accelerated payment schedule for farmers. Payments, which previously took three to four days, will now be credited directly to farmers' bank accounts within 48 hours of verification via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). "Several steps have been taken to streamline the procurement process for farmers. Those who have completed their Farmer Registry can now have their paddy weighed directly, bypassing the need for a separate online registration process," said Raju Patel, divisional food marketing controller, Prayagraj. The division has approved 361 procurement centres: 159 in Prayagraj, 96 in Pratapgarh, 65 in Fatehpur, and 41 in Kaushambi. Prayagraj leads with a procurement target of 2.80 lakh MT, followed by Fatehpur (1.15 lakh MT), Pratapgarh (1.06 lakh MT), and Kaushambi (62,000 MT). According to Patel, 4,513 farmers have registered for the procurement process thus far: 1,632 from Prayagraj, 1,599 from Fatehpur, 946 from Kaushambi, and 336 from Pratapgarh. The minimum support price (MSP) for the season has also been announced, with common variety paddy set at Rs.2,441 per quintal and Grade A paddy at Rs.2,461 per quintal....