Post News Network
Sambalpur, April 25: Worried over the distress sale of potato despite its bumper production this season, farmers of the district have threatened to launch a massive agitation in the next few days if the district administration does not come to their rescue. They are blaming the officers of horticulture department for the distress sale of tuber.
The western Orissa farmers’ organisation (WOFO) said it would support the agitation of potato growers. Expressing concern over the ongoing stalemate in the sale of potato, the convener of WOFO Ashok Pradhan said the district administration must take immediate measures to improve the situation.
According to Pradhan, the farmers will soon launch a massive stir if the administration does not take immediate measures to improve the condition of potato growers.
The state government last year had advised farmers to take up potato cultivation on a large-scale in the wake of tuber crises in the state. The horticulture department had also declared `30,000 financial assistance per acre for farmers to take up potato production. The district horticulture department directed farmers to raise potato cultivation on 1800 hectare of land across various blocks of the district. Encouraged by the initiatives, scores of farmers grew potato on their land after purchasing seeds at `42 per kg.
The administration had set a target of 27,000 quintal of potato production in the current season. The farmers were told that their produces would be purchased through Orissa State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (MARKFED) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (NAFED) from March 29 to 31 of the year.
However, the district produced a total of 750 quintal of potatoes against the target of 27,000 quintal. Though potatoes were procured from farmers in other districts of the state, the administration here did not take any steps to procure it from the farmers of this region.
Though the district collector Balwant Singh earlier made promises that the grievances of the farmers would be addressed, precious little has been done to purchase the potatoes from the farmers. Some farmers have even started selling their produce to middlemen and agents of other states below the government-determined prices. By selling potatoes below the designated prices, the farmers would suffer a loss of `15,000 to 20,000 per acre.
Monday last, irate farmers had besieged the office of horticulture department here following apathetic attitude of the officials of the department.
After this showdown, the government officials promised to purchase their produce through market yards in Jamankira and Kuchinda Thursday and Friday respectively.
Assured by the officials, some farmers brought their produce to the market yards Thursday. However, the officials did not turn up at the market yards, inviting anger from the farmers. The farmers have threatened to paralyse the administration if their grievances are not addressed soon.
