Padmapur: Even as two and a half months have passed since paddy procurement in Padmapur sub-division of Bargarh district started, tokens of 8000 farmers have lapsed. Moreover, 9,00,956 packets of paddy have been stocked in the open at 70 mandis while millers allegedly fail to lift the crop as per the targets set by the civil supplies department, a report said.
On the other hand, the farmers whose tokens have lapsed are worried about their paddy remaining unsold. As paddy sacks are in the open, cloudy weather and possibility of rains have added to their worries.
They expressed concern that if their paddy gets soaked in rains, millers will later cut 10 to 12 kg of paddy per quintal, citing poor FAQ.
According to the report, tokens of 8000 farmers in six blocks have expired while paddy of 1684 farmers affiliated to 7 cooperative societies is stocked in the open at mandis.
However, RMC secretary Dharmendra Bhoi said that 11,114 quintals of paddy of 209 farmers were sold Thursday.
In fact, paddy of 15,000 farmers has not yet been sold in the subdivision.
On the other hand, the district administration and the civil supplies department have not cleared doubts of farmers if their paddy will be procured or not when their tokens have expired.
In some cases, it is alleged that staff of mandis are asking farmers with tokens not to bring paddy to the mandis, citing lack of space.
Many farmers have their paddy stocked at their houses. If they fail to sell their paddy, it will push distress sale and middlemen will take advantage of it, said Ashok Sahu, the convenor of Rajbodasambar Krushak Sangathan.
As regards the lapsed tokens, assistant civil supplies officer Sabhuprasad Haripal said that the higher-ups have been intimated about the lapsed tokens so that new tokens will be generated. But he didn’t make it clear when new tokens will be issued.
PNN