Sambalpur: Opposing the paddy procurement policy of the state government for the current kharif season, the members of Paschima Orissa Krushaka Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti, a farmers’ outfit of western Orissa, Tuesday warned of a massive agitation.
The farmers would suffer while the rice millers stand to make money due to the prevailing policy which should be amended immediately on the basis of crop cutting report of the district, the outfit’s convener Ashok Pradhan demanded at a press meet at Sanskrutika Samaj Bhawan here.
Though crop cutting report was made at the district level, it was later altered, paving way for such an anti-farmer policy, he alleged.
The farmers under Hirakud command area would block the state and national highways unless the government takes a decision to protect the interests of farmers in seven days, other members of the outfit said.
According to Pradhan, the decision over the volume of paddy per acre to be sold by a farmer had been decided at district level since 2011. However, the practice has not been followed this year.
According to the fresh policy of the government, a farmer of an irrigated region can sell 18 quintals of paddy per acre while it has been reduced to 12 quintal per acre for farmers of non-irrigated regions. The decision of the government is not at all acceptable in the present scenario, the convener said.
According to reports, bumper production has been reported in Hirakud command area in Sambalpur, Bargarh and Subarnapur districts as the farmers didn’t have to suffer from pest attack during this kharif season.
But, with the implementation of the fresh procurement policy, the farmers would be left with surplus amount of paddy which they would be forced to sell to rice millers at throwaway prices. Though the issue was raised at the Assembly, it was not addressed, it was learnt.
On the other hand, the farmers are still struggling to get input subsidy, crop insurance and drought assistance for 2015.
To make matters worse, the farmers of Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh and Bargarh districts are yet to get agriculture loan to the tune of `746 crore to raise crops in the upcoming rabi season.
Of the `750 crore, only `4 crore has been sanctioned for disbursement among the farmers till December 13, it was learnt. The rabi crop would also be affected unless they receive the loan amount soon, the farmers rued. PNN
Several farmer leaders including Lingaraj Pradhan, Murari Prasad Purohit and Saroj Mohanty were present at the press meet. PNN