Bolangir: The government’s decision to close down all mandis by February 4 is worrying farmers as thousands of quintals of paddy still remain unsold.
Many farmers have not sold their produce and have been waiting day and night at the mandis in chilling weather. The delay in opening of the procurement centres had forced farmers to go for distress sales.
Now the sudden closure has added to their woes. Farmers who had brought paddy to the mandis by paying high transport charges, will now have to bear the expense of taking it back home.
The mandis were opened to avoid distress sale by farmers, but mismanagement has worsened their problems.
Farmers of the district, who had produced around six lakh quintals of paddy, have not sold their stock at the mandis as they did not receive tokens from Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS).
“We could have directly sold to traders. But promising a good price the government forced us to take our paddy to the mandis. We spend so much on transport and waited day and night in chilly winter at the mandis. But now they are closing the mandis,” an angry farmer said.
“Now you say who is responsible for distress sales, the traders or the government,” another farmer asked.
According to reports, kharif paddy procurement was supposed to begin in November in the district. But it was delayed till December 2, 2018, due to the dispute between farmers and millers over the fair average quality of paddy.
Thousands of farmers had taken their produce to the mandis. But after waiting for over a month they are now being turned away by officials, saying the government had stopped procurement from February 4.
“When around 300 quintals are lying unsold, how can they say that the procurement target has been met,” a farmer asked.
A target to procure 28.48 lakh quintals of paddy from the district was set for kharif. Government sources said at least 27.87 lakh quintals was procured by February 4, but the remaining 300 quintals has put farmers in trouble.
This year 32,605 farmers have sold their produce, although 43,800 had registered themselves. Till now paddy has not been procured in Dhandamunda in Khaprakhol block, Rengali block, Gadashankar Dunguripali in Loisingha block and Chandanbhati PACS of Bolangir block, reports said.
Angry farmers lodged a written complaint with District Supply Officer (DSO) Abhiram Pradhan. They said at least 40 per cent of the mandis in the district have not started procurement process. They warned that they would stage a mass protest if no steps were taken regarding this.
The fate of farmers in Koraput district is no different. At least 31,000 farmers of Jeypore and Koraput sub-divisions had registered to sell 25 lakh quintals of paddy in kharif.
Although the Civil Supply Department had decided to continue procurement till March, the decision to close down mandis February 4 by the government has put farmers in trouble.
The small and medium farmers of Kotpad, Jeypore, Borrigumma and Kundra in Jeypore sub-division have not been able to participate in the procurement process as they were busy preparing farms for rabi.
Farmer leaders said the sudden closure of mandis will help middlemen as they would exploit farmers by purchasing paddy at below the minimum support price. According to official data, the Civil Supply Department has procured 16.93 lakh quintals of paddy against a target of 20 lakh quintals.
Meanwhile, the Pani Panchayat leaders of Jeypore sub-division have asked the district administration to extend procurement by one more month.
PNN