Bhawanipatna: The paddy farmers of Kalahandi are a worried lot as millers are demanding price cuts for buying paddy, although the quality machines at the mandis indicate that the paddy is of good quality.
After solving the millers’ problem, the Rabi Crop Committee of Kalahandi district has started procuring paddy from farmers 10 days after the deadline, i.e. from May 25.
Sources said the administration had decided to procure paddy from May 15. But due to pressure by millers on the administration mandis could not be opened in the district. So the administration has started buying paddy after a delay of 10 days.
Of the 51 mandis and 81 paddy purchasing centres, only seven mandis and 10 paddy purchasing centres have been opened by the administration. Around 690.40 tonnes of paddy have been procured from 89 farmers at these centres till May 27.
The administration had decided to buy 2,399.60 tonnes of paddy from May 27, but only 690.40 tonnes have been procured from farmers so far. District Civil Supplies Officer Sibram Dora said the paddy that has been procured is worth Rs 120.82 lakh.
However, farmers said that middlemen are exploiting the delay as farmers have to sell their paddy. Although the administration has made special arrangements to check middlemen they are not effective. The millers keep saying that the FAQ quality of paddy is the worst.
According to farmers the millers are seeking discounts of around four to five kg paddy per quintal citing moisture. The millers are also refusing to give advance token to farmers for paddy procurement at the mandis.
“The millers are reducing four to five kilograms of paddy per quintal citing moisture. They are using grader machines to cut the amount of paddy,” said a farmer.
An angry farmer said, “The millers said they will issue receipt only for 26 quintals while buying 30 quintals. We consider this as exploitation and have refused to sell.”
The reaction of District Civil Supplies Officer Sibram Dora was not available.
PNN