CUTTACK: Delay in opening of mandis for paddy procurement is forcing farmers of Cuttack district to sell their produce to local traders at throwaway prices. As per reports, of the total 212 mandis scheduled to be set up in 14 blocks across the district for procuring kharif paddy from the farmers at minimum support price (MSP), only 170 have been opened so far. What’s worse is that paddy is not being procured at mandis that are open.
“With administration yet to open mandis, we have no option but to sell our paddy to local traders at Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,700 per quintal against the government’s MSP of Rs 2,183 per quintal,” said farmers Cuttack Sadar block.
Sources said, the administration has engaged only 12 millers for lifting paddy from the 212 mandis in 14 blocks of the district five days a week. The procurement is getting delayed as it is tough for millers to lift paddy from 15 to 20 mandis daily. Of the total 71,509 registered farmers in Cuttack, around 60,000 are waiting to sell their paddy in mandis.
District civil supplies officer Chandra Sekhar Patra said mandis are being opened in a phased manner from December 27 in Banki and Athagarh and from January 3 in Cuttack Sadar sub-division. He said efforts are on to open the rest 42 mandis within two to three days.