Bhawanipatna: Hundreds of farmers blocked National Highway 59 in Odisha’s Kalahandi district Thursday, protesting delays in the procurement of rabi paddy and demanding immediate lifting of their produce from local mandis.
The agitation took place near the Ainlapali and Bamak procurement centres under M. Rampur block, where more than 10,000 quintals of paddy are reportedly lying unsold. Farmers alleged that unseasonal rain triggered by nor’wester storms has left large quantities of paddy exposed to damage, with some stocks already beginning to deteriorate.
Protesters placed paddy sacks on the Gopalpur-Raipur highway and staged a road blockade, disrupting traffic movement for several hours. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the road, causing inconvenience to commuters.
Farmers expressed frustration over the alleged inaction of millers, cooperative societies and officials of the Food Supplies Department, claiming no concrete steps had been taken to expedite procurement despite repeated appeals.
The protesters demanded immediate lifting of the paddy stocks to prevent further losses caused by adverse weather conditions.
Several local leaders, including M. Rampur Block Congress president Rudra Pratap Singh and farmer leaders Tumbeswar Sahu, Nigamananda Sahu, Khirasagar Sahu, Minaketan Sahu, Shatrughna Sahu and Jhasketan Sahu, joined the demonstration in support of the farmers’ demands.
