Bant: Farmers in Bant block of Bhadrak were a worried lot as no cooperative society or self help group has started procurement. It was alleged that the process to issue tokens to farmers has been stuck at the official level.
Reports said the district paddy procurement committee has tasked 10 cooperative societies and some SHGs to procure paddy in Ramkrushnapur, Rampur, Chhyalsingh and Ramchandrapur panchayats.
The lone paddy procurement centre was opened at Sendhatira.
It was learnt that token process for some famers has been in the processing stage but there has been no clearance from the top level. Names of 23 farmers in Tilo, 13 in Ganijang and 15 in Padhanpada have been sent to the higher-ups for clearance. Farmers alleged that they have not received any message as of then.
As per the state government guidelines, after completion of token process, farmers are supposed to get messages in their cell-phones about quantities of paddy and the types of paddy they can sell. In the current kharif, a farmer can sell 19 quintals of paddy per acre.
According to the civil supplies department, Umapati Ricemills has been authorised to procure paddy in the block. Another miller, N&B Foods Ricemills, has submitted its documents for paddy procurement and an agreement with it will be finalised soon.
District civil supplies officer Raj Alli Khan said that some mandis will be opened by Monday and others will be opened in phased manners. In some other block of the district, farmers have allegedly resorted to distress sale.
Many farmers lamented that paddy had been damaged to some extent by cyclone Bulbul.