ALAPPUZHA ( KERALA): ‘Puncha’ season paddy harvesting is almost complete, but farmers are an unhappy lot. They are yet to receive the procurement price from the government.
The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation, which procured around 3,63,800 tonnes of paddy this season, owes a whopping `408.79 crore to around 1,25,668 farmers in the state. Topping the list are the farmers of Alappuzha with `178 crore followed by those in Palakkad district with `111.72 crore. The corporation owes `55.31 crore to the farmers of Kottayam, `43.05 crore to the farmers of Thrissur, `2.79 crore to the farmers of Ernakulam, `6.79 crore to the farmers of Malappuram and `9.87 crore to the farmers of Pathanamthitta.
“I carried out ‘puncha’ farming in two hectares leased out by a landlord after spending more than `50,000 by pledging gold ornaments and depending on private moneylenders. Though a month has passed after the corporation procured the paddy, I am yet to get my remuneration. Some banks provided loan in lieu of paddy receipt sheet, but that is insufficient to meet the next round of farming and repayment of loans,’’ said Krishnankutty, a farmer.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said: “Last week, a meeting was convened by the Finance Minister and it was agreed to release about `60 crore. The amount is expected to be distributed soon,” he said.