Tihidi: Farmers in Bhadrak district staged a protest Friday by blocking the Bhadrak–Chandbali state highway near the Charitarapha cooperative society mandi under Tihidi block, alleging severe irregularities in paddy procurement and non-payment of dues. The agitation surfaced after more than 8,000 quintals of paddy remained unsold at the mandi due to alleged non-cooperation from millers. Farmers also claimed they had not received payments for paddy already sold.
According to sources, the Charitarapha cooperative society mandi has 720 registered farmers. Of them, 152 farmers are yet to sell their produce. Although two rice mills have been tagged to the mandi, no procurement has taken place in the past 15 days, leaving large quantities of paddy exposed to the harsh weather.
Farmers alleged that despite the initial procurement target for the mandi having been met, no additional target has been sanctioned, even as around 8,000 quintals of paddy await lifting. The delay has not only disrupted sales but also prevented farmers from receiving their rightful dues. Despite repeated appeals by the cooperative society’s president and members to the district administration, including the Collector and Additional Collector, no concrete action was taken, leading to mounting frustration among farmers. The situation eventually escalated into a road blockade, with farmers placing paddy bags on the highway. The blockade disrupted traffic for nearly three hours before local officials intervened. Tihidi Tehsildar Jayadratha Acharya and block supply inspector Pritish Samal reached the spot and held discussions with the agitating farmers.
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During the meeting, cooperative society president Basanta Kumar Nayak, farmer leader Muktikanta Nayak, Rajnagar panchayat representatives, and other local leaders highlighted the procurement issues. Police officials, including Pirahat police station IIC Rosalin Behera, were also present to maintain law and order. Following assurances from the tehsildar that two large trucks would be deployed Friday and one truck daily thereafter to lift the paddy, and that steps would be taken to increase the procurement target, the farmers withdrew their protest. However, farmers warned that they would resume agitation if their demands were not addressed promptly.
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