BHUBANESWAR: Normalcy is expected to return to the paddy procurement operations across 19 districts from Thursday following assurance from Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra to fulfil the four key demands of the All Odisha Rice Millers’ Association (AORMA).
The millers, who had suspended lifting of paddy from mandis from January 5 in protest over unresolved issues, agreed to resume operations from Thursday, bringing much-needed relief to farmers and procurement agencies during the ongoing kharif marketing season.
The breakthrough came after a detailed discussion between the minister and the millers’ representatives, during which Patra assured that all four demands - payment of custody and maintenance charges for KMS 2023-24 and KMS 2024-25, revision of milling charges, transport cost and restoration of driage charges to raw paddy from 0.078 per cent to 1 per cent will be met within 15 days.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Patra said the government remains committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers as well as rice millers and ensure smooth procurement operations across the state. He appealed all stakeholders to work in coordination for the success of the procurement drive.
The minister said that as on date, paddy has been procured from over 3.15 lakh farmers and over 13.93 lakh tonne of paddy has been purchased from farmers under the minimum support price. Rice millers have already lifted 13.59 lakh tonne which shows that the procurement and lifting is underway smoothly.
Addressing a media conference after the meeting, AORMA general secretary Laxminarayan Deepak Ranjan Das said the association decided to call off its agitation and resume paddy lifting in view of the ensuing Makar Sankranti on January 14, a significant festival of the farmers.
The government will soon come out with a notification on the payment of custody charges within a day or two, he said. Since the minister has sought time for resolution of the other three demands, the association gave 15 days and will reconsider its decision for participation in the procurement operation based on the fulfilment of the demands.
Farmers’ organisations welcomed the development, stating that resumption of paddy lifting will prevent distress sale and ensure timely payment to cultivators. The state government directed district administrations and procurement agencies to closely monitor the situation to ensure uninterrupted procurement and avoid any further disruption.