Nabarangpur: Maize has always been a cash crop in Nabarangpur district. However, with not much help from the administration, maize farmers have been facing losses, thanks to lack of market facilities.
As per government records, a total of 62,000 hectares were used for maize cultivation during kharif season while another 34,000 hectares were used for rabi crop. A total of 3 lakh quintals of maize were produced in the kharif season.
However, due to lack of market facilities, the farmers were forced to go for distress sale. Middlemen and traders from neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh cash in on the situation and buy the produce for Rs 300 less than the government price.
In the absence of market facilities, the farmers have suffered a loss of Rs 90 crore in the last kharif. This is a huge setback for farmers who had cultivated maize by taking loans from banks and private financiers.
Now, they are left in the lurch with no support from the government. As a result, the growers’ interest in maize cultivation has diminished. Moreover, despite repeated demands, the administration has failed to set up a maize processing unit in the district.
Even as the government pumps in crores of rupees and launches several schemes for the betterment of farmers, the benefits hardly reach the genuinely needy. A glaring example is the KALIA Yojana, maize farmers alleged.
Under the scheme, the government provided Rs 5,000 each in the first phase. However, it has been alleged that the genuine farmers have been deprived of the benefit. Even as the agriculture department, LAMPS, regulated market committee and administration is well aware of the glitch in funds disbursal, no one bothers to take steps to include the genuine farmers in the list.
This has not only led to disinterest among maize growers who are now reeling under loan burden but also forced them to work as daily wagers or migrant labourers.
Maize farmers have demanded the administration to take note of their plight.