Baliapal: Farmers in the Baliapal block of Balasore district are resorting to distress sales of paddy. The sold paddy is transported to other states, a report said.
The report said that paddy was cultivated in 7,500 hectares in the block during Rabi. The production target was 2.05 lakh quintals. Harvesting has started, but the unseasonal rains have hit harvesting.
Due to problems created by rains, some farmers are selling their paddy to traders at low prices even though the government has fixed the paddy MSP at Rs 1,750 a quintal.
Farmers said that not even a single procurement centre has been opened in this block. This has provided an opportunity for traders from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to buy paddy from farmers though middlemen.
“Traders buy paddy for Rs 1000 to Rs 1100 a quintal. We do not get the right price for our paddy as procurement has not started. Thousands of quintals of paddy are purchased every day,” said some farmers.
Traders take away truckloads of paddy from the area every day to their states. Distress sales of paddy were reported from Balarampur, Balikote, Debhoga, Srirampur, Banidihi and Bolanga panchayats.
Small and marginal farmers are selling their paddy at prices less than the government-fixed MSP in other areas too.
Although traders from other states are not allowed to buy paddy, the administration is keeping quiet, locals said.
Farmers and agricultural experts said that if the administration fails to take steps to check the distress sales of paddy, the government will not be able to meet its procurement target.
Farmers said that frequent hailstorms and rains have played havoc with paddy. “So we are in a hurry to sell our paddy as there is no procurement now,” they added. The farmers demanded immediate opening of mandis to stop the distress sales.
Civil Supplies Inspector Deepak Kumar Majhi said that there is no official intimation till date about the opening of paddy mandis. “Steps to open mandis can be taken only after official intimation comes,” he said.
