Kundura: Farmers of Kundura block in Koraput district are forced to guard their paddy bags stacked at mandis throughout nights braving chill as there are no takers for their grains.
After harvest, the farmers were hopeful of selling paddy at mandis, but they were disappointed as the mandis did not open as per government’s promise.
The farmers were forced to collect paddy under the open sky near mandis. They have to protect their grains from cattle and elephants occasionally. So they have been forced to pass sleepless nights the mandis while mercury is dipping.
The government had instructed mandi operators to collect grains in November for the Kharif season. However, the process got delayed by a month in this block due to the non-cooperation of rice millers.
The administration had decided to buy 2,000 quintals of paddy from the mandi, but most of the farmers have failed to sell their grains.
At least 80 per cent of the district’s villages do not have a permanent paddy mandi. The farmers of the block are reluctant to sell paddy at temporary paddy collection centres as they lack basic infrastructure.
The district administration could procure only 20 per cent of paddy produced in the block from eight mandis in Danagripaunsi, Kundra, Lima, Udalguda, Pakanguda, Digapur, Khalapadar and Bagderi in this block.
Some farmers in the block said this year’s winter was hard to bear because of its severity. Snow is also falling and it could be seen on the polythene sheets covering the gunny bags.
The farmers have alleged the delay in paddy procurement has provided scope to middlemen to intercept grains from farmers. As the farmers have failed to sell paddy at the mandis, they are being forced to sell it to middlemen due to poverty.
The Kundura block Krushak Kalyan Mach has demanded that the government should take immediate action to help the farmers who had failed to sell their paddy at the mandis.
PNN