Balasore: Distress sale of paddy was reported from the Jaleswar agriculture district in Balasore in the current rabi season.
In this situation, traders are raking in the moolah by purchasing paddy from desperate farmers at throwaway prices as only a few procurement centres have been opened in the region.
According to sources, nearly 6 lakh quintals of paddy are expected to be harvested from 19,000 hectares. The deputy director of agriculture had earlier reported to the Collector that rabi paddy had been cultivated in 16,500 hectares in Jaleswar agriculture district (6,500 hectares in Jaleswar and 10,000 hectares in Bhograi).
However, later it was estimated that rabi paddy was grown in 8,200 hectares in Jaleswar and 11,500 hectares in Bhograi.
Due to sporadic rain and hailstorms over the last one month, the paddy crop has suffered massive damage.
A senior agriculture officer said 1,500 mm rainfall was recorded in the area for 10 days in April. Stagnating rainwater in paddy fields made it difficult for farmers to harvest paddy and dry it. Farmers had to spend a lot in recovering the wet paddy.
As per an estimate, 35 to 60 per cent of rabi paddy has been harvested in various areas of the agriculture district till date.
However, a few mandis have been opened for procurement. The Collector had decided at a meeting that rabi paddy will be procured through 38 cooperative societies while mandis have been opened at four to five places, departmental sources said.
Needy farmers are in a hurry to sell their produce. Local traders buy paddy for Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,200 per quintal while the government-fixed minimum support price (MSP) is Rs 1,550.
The farmers have to lose Rs 350 per quintal while disposing their stocks to local traders.
On the other hand, the local traders are supplying truckloads of paddy to neighbouring West Bengal on a daily basis. Civil supplies and cooperative officials are allegedly facilitating the distress sale of paddy.
