SAMBALPUR: More number of farmers of the district have registered to take part in the Kharif paddy procurement process this year compared to last year. At least 53,150 farmers have registered to participate in paddy procurement which is 9,736 more than last year. Last year, 43,414 farmers had registered to take part in the Kharif paddy procurement process.
The last date to apply for farmers’ registration was September 7 this year. However, digitisation of the registration process was completed on September 12.
Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies (DRCS), Sambalpur, Lingaraj Nayak said the farmers registered themselves to participate in the process through 45 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and 10 Self Help Groups(SHGs) of the district.
Nayak said last year, many farmers did not register for procurement as they were reluctant to submit their Aadhaar cards. They feared that their ration cards would be invalidated if they submit their Aadhaar cards.
However, this time they are aware that there is no link between invalidation of ration cards and Aadhaar submission and hence, come forward voluntarily to register for paddy procurement.Vice-president of Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan (SZKSS), Umesh Mishra said initially, the farmers’ registration wasto be held between August 1 and August 31 this year. However, the State Government extended the last date till September 7. He said farmers are aware that they will not get the MSP of paddy if they do not register themselves.