Late harvest delays procurement
JEYPORE: Late harvest of ‘Dalua’ paddy has delayed the procurement process for rabi crops in the tribal dominated Koraput district. No purchase of paddy has been reported despite opening of mandis since first week of May. According to sources, the district administration had decided to gear up paddy procurement in Koraput and Jeypore sub-divisions and accordingly, opened purchasing centres on May 5. Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy inaugurated a mandi in Kundura block. However, till date no paddy transaction has been reported as farmers are yet to complete their harvesting.
As per reports, about 30,000 hectares (ha) of land were covered in paddy cultivation for the rabi season in the region. Only 10 per cent paddy fields are in harvesting stage which delayed crop cutting and procurement. Last year, about 50 per cent crops were harvested by May. But this year, unseasonal rain has delayed the reaping of paddy plants and farmers are unable to cut the paddy. They would be able to sell their produce in June, sources added.
The Collector recently reviewed the paddy procurement in the district in the presence of senior district level officials and directed them to speed up the process. On the other hand, the administration has issued show cause notices to 10 millers of the district for their involvement in irregularities during kharif paddy procurement.