Patna: The state govt has extended the deadline for rice millers to register for the 2026-27 Kharif paddy procurement season by a month, till Nov 15, to ensure the participation of an adequate number of mills, the food and consumer protection department said in a communique on Wednesday.The deadline was earlier set for Oct 15. Registration on the e-Sahkari portal began on Aug 16, but only 450 rice millers had registered by Oct 16, against 868 who registered for participation in last year’s paddy procurement drive.Paddy procurement for the current Kharif season is scheduled to begin on Nov 1. The govt needs an adequate number of registered rice millers to process the procured paddy during the drive. Physical verification of the mills is also required before they can participate.In view of the low number of registrations and the approaching paddy harvesting season, the department has directed district magistrates to prioritise the registration of rice millers in their respective districts to ensure timely arrangements for milling the procured paddy.
