Tihidi: Farmers in Tihidi block of Bhadrak have been facing distress sale of paddy as no cooperative societies and self-help groups (SHGs) have started procurement.
Farmers alleged that delay in paddy procurement has forced farmers to sell paddy at throwaway price.
Middlemen and traders have cashed in on this situation. To meet the immediate needs, farmers are desperate to dispose of paddy to traders, incurring a loss of Rs 500 to 600 per quintal.
Many farmers lamented that paddy had been damaged to some extent by cyclone Bulbul. They are worried that their paddy may not meet the FAQ standard.
The government has fixed Rs 1835 as MSP for A-grade paddy while FAQ paddy has been fixed at Rs 1815.
Traders are buying paddy for Rs 1200 to Rs 1250 per quintal.
On the other hand, the administration has imposed no restrictions over middlemen, engaged by outside traders.
It was learnt that tonnes of paddy purchased at throwaway prices are being transported to their state.
In the current year, paddy was cultivated in 21,000 hectares. Due to erratic monsoon, cultivation had delayed. But farmers had expected a bumper harvest.
But, Bulbul played spoiler to the paddy crop, damaging about 50 percent of the crop in the block.
The district paddy procurement committee has assigned 15 cooperative societies and six SHGs in six panchayats for paddy procurement.
They are supposed to collect 18,992 quintals of paddy in the first phase, but procurement has not started.
When asked about distress sale of paddy, district civil supplies officer Mihir Raja Ali said paddy procurement will start from December 20.
