BALANGIR: A month after paddy procurement started in Balangir, a plethora of problems plague farmers leaving them deeply worried. Deduction of paddy on the pretext of quality during procurement (katani), artificial shortage of gunny bags and tardy pace of purchase.
Sources said, at least four kg paddy is being deducted per quintal by the authorities at the mandis. Allegations are also rife that paddy purchase has been slow in PACS and adding to the misery is artificial shortage of gunny bags which is mandated to be provided by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (OSCSC). Farmers are forced to buy bags from the open market at Rs 13-Rs 14 per piece, adding to their expenses.
The district administration started kharif procurement in the district from November 29 through 171 mandis of 158 PACS and 13 women SHGs. A target to lift 30 lakh quintal paddy has been set and till date, 6.32 lakh quintal has already been purchased.
Several complains have come to the fore from Deogaon block. Till end of last week, 70,236 quintal paddy was procured from 1,778 farmers, of which 3,780 quintal was deducted towards poor quality. With MSP of Rs 1,940 per quintal, this translates to a loss of about Rs 75 lakh. Farmers have attributed this to a nexus between the administration and the millers who are making a profit by exploiting them.
Contacted, Balangir civil supplies officer Mir Raja Ali said although procurement centres were opened on November 29, the process only picked up speed after December 6. “We have not received any official complaint regarding illegal deduction of paddy from any centre,” he added.