Hatiota: As procurement of paddy got delayed in Polsara block of Ganjam district, farmers resorted to distress sale of paddy. Taking advantage of the delay, traders from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh are on a buying spree, while the administration has not taken steps to stop distress sell of paddy.
The weather being cloudy for last few days, farmers are a panicky lot. Possibility of rain has left them worried and they hurriedly sell their paddy to middlemen and traders at whatever prices the latter are ready to offer. They do not feel it safe to wait for the mandis to open in the district as there are chances of rain getting their paddy soaked.
Delayed procurement in Gamjam district has sent farmers into a rage. There are scores of mandis across the district but procurement of paddy has not started in several parts of the district. As a result, farmers are forced to sell their produce to traders from Andhra Pradesh, a report said.
In the first phase, the district administration decided to procure 89,000 quintal paddy from farmers of Polsara block. 16 co-operative societies and two SHGs were assigned to mandis in the block to manage procurement of paddy in the block.
But these co-operative societies and SHGs have not started their work yet, as they are waiting for mandis to be opened.
When the secretary of a co-operative society was asked in this regard, he said though they were assigned with the procurement work, things have been delayed due to a dispute between the administration and rice millers. Sources said, the millers have not deposited their security money yet at the block office.
When Polsara block civil supplies officer Hemanta Kumar Pradhan was asked in this regard, he said we will start procurement of paddy in the block after receiving security deposits from millers. He clarified that farmers who are selling their produce to Andhra traders are not registered farmers.
