Union Budget 2026: Kaimur’s rice farmers, millers pin hopes on higher rates

As the Union Budget 2026 approaches, farmers and rice millers in Bihar’s Kaimur district are voicing deep concern over mounting losses, warning that inadequate pricing has pushed one of the state’s key agricultural regions into distress.

Known as the rice bowl of Bihar, Kaimur is among the largest rice-producing districts in the state. Yet, farmers say the prices they receive for paddy are far from fair and fail to match rising input costs, including seeds, fertilisers and labour.