Bhograi: The administration has not yet opened paddy procurement centres in Bhograi in Balasore district. As the procurement is getting delayed, farmers have resorted to distress sale of paddy. Cooperative societies, which are supposed to facilitate procurement, are upset over low mandi charges this Rabi season.
Taking advantage of the situation, traders from West Bengal are on a buying spree, a report said.
The district-level procurement committee had decided to procure paddy from farmers May 29. But it has not been done till date, alleged some farmers. They blamed the district administration and the cooperative societies responsible for the delay in procurement.
Summer paddy has been cultivated in 9,000 hectares in Bhograi in the current year. It is said that the yield per acre is nearly 26 quintals.
Farmers alleged that the District Civil Supplies Department has been sitting idle without sorting out the stalemate. They are now desperate to sell off the grain stocks to meet their urgent needs like payment of farmhand wages, loans and daily household expenses, sources added. In such a situation, they (farmers) are resorting to distress sale to middlemen at prices lower than the minimum support price (MSP).
For the last Rabi season, the mandi charge (per quintal) was fixed at Rs 11.19 but the charge has been reduced to Rs 8.47 per quintal this Rabi season.
It was stated that cooperative societies are reluctant to buy paddy over the low mandi charges. Upset over the low mandi charges, farmers, presidents and secretaries of 19 cooperative societies sent a memorandum to the district administration and the higher authorities Tuesday. They warned of protests at the collectorate if their demand was not met.
PNN