Published on: December 03, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
The deeply entrenched practice of “Kocchiya Giri”—an informal network of middlemen and agents operating inside agricultural mandis for decades—may be illegal under the law, yet it has functioned as an essential part of mandi operations. Despite having no official recognition, yearly demands for their registration and informal listing have remained a well-known fact of the system.
As per information, names of over 1,500 such middlemen (‘cochiyas’) exist off the record in mandi lists, even though the law explicitly prohibits their engagement.
This year, the situation has changed drastically
To curb paddy smuggling, financial irregularities, and PDS rice diversion, the district administration under Collector Jitendra Yadav has launched a stringent clampdown. The crackdown has jolted the entire chain of middlemen, transporters, processors, and small-scale traders.
Border district, tighter surveillance
Rajnandgaon’s unique position along the Chhattisgarh–Madhya Pradesh border makes it a hotspot for illegal paddy transportation.
According to sources, nearly 150 cases have already been registered, with more action underway.
Also read- https://www.btnewsindia.com/नई-गाइडलाइन-के-बाद-भी-राजन/ https://www.btnewsindia.com/बड़ी-खबर-योगी-सरकार-के-निश/
Mandi in-charge Panchram Verma stated that operations are focussed on:
- Illegal procurement and sale of paddy
- Fake farmer slips
- Cross-border shifting of paddy
- Nexus between rice mills, poha mills, and middlemen
Shocking instance: Paddy sold even before the harvest
One of the most alarming findings during recent checks was:
➡ A farmer’s procurement slip was generated and used for selling paddy even though his crop had not been harvested yet.
This became a turning point, leading to even stricter verification and monitoring.
Pressure mounts on small traders
The operation has expanded to such an extent that teams are now seizing not just paddy but also other crops kept at farmers’ and agents’ homes—including gram, soybean, etc.
This has caused discontent in several villages.
Local sentiment reflects discomfort:
“No mandi transaction happens without a procurement slip. Everything is technically illegal on paper, but on the ground, mandis cannot function without middlemen. This sudden crackdown is hitting small farmers and traders the hardest.”
Fear and uncertainty — what lies ahead?
While the crackdown is successfully deterring illegal paddy operations, it has also created an atmosphere of fear among farmers and local small-scale traders.
Many argue that the major profiteers in the black market remain untouched, while smaller agents are the first to face investigation.
Conclusion
The middlemen network in mandis may be illegal, but for decades it remained the unofficial backbone of day-to-day operations.
Collector Yadav’s strict measures have disrupted this ecosystem, hitting paddy smuggling, fake slips, and unregulated trade the hardest.
However, concerns among small traders and ordinary farmers are rising as the crackdown continues.
More revelations and deeper investigations are expected in the coming days.
