Nayagarh: Paddy cultivation in the district was adversely affected with farmers receiving one blow after another. Be it drought, pest attack or low pressure rain, farmers always found themselves at the receiving end.
As if that was not enough, farmers are now made to suffer from distress sale of their produce to manage their families as procurement centres are yet to be opened in Nayagarh district.
According to reports, traders are seen collecting paddy from farmers at Itamati, Gadadharprasad and Beguniapatna areas of Nayagarh block at throwaway prices. Similar reports from other regions of the district have also been received.
While scores of farmers in the district have become victims of distress sale of paddy, the civil supplies department said it has no information in this regard.
It was alleged that the traders buy paddy from farmers at prices much less than the minimum support price (MSP) keeping the department officials in the loop.
While the MSP for standard and Grade-A paddy qualities have been fixed at Rs 1,550 and Rs 1,590 respectively, farmers were seen selling produce at rates between Rs1,100 and Rs 1,200.
Many managed to save their crops and stocked them in their yards before low pressure rain lashed the state. However, the paddy was affected by fungus as rain continued for five days. Still they managed to salvage something after drying them in sun light. With the opening of mandis getting delayed, they have now no option but to sell their produce at lower price to traders as they have to maintain their families, some farmers said.
According to a loss assessment report prepared by the agriculture department, crops in about 21,000 hectares of farmland under eight blocks in the district have been damaged by rain. Similarly, cultivation in 4,090 hectares in 157 villages of Bhapur, Khandapada, Gania and Nayagarh blocks was hit by drought this kharif season.
On the other hand, farmers raised paddy in 98,034 hectares in the district and the department aims to collect 30,000 tonne of paddy this season through paddy procurement centres which would be opened December 13. Even as 25,000 farmers in Nayagarh have registered their names with the department to sale paddy, achieving the target seems unlikely due to natural calamity and pest attacks, a report said.
Asked about the delay in opening of mandis, district civil supplies officer Bikram Majhi said paddy procurement has been delayed due to a strike by cooperation department employees. The procurement process can be delayed for a few more days after December 13, he added.
Farmers sell poor quality paddy to traders, Majhi added downplaying the matter of distress sale. PNN