BALASORE: Farmers from Kurunta cooperative society under Khaira block on Thursday sought the intervention of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Balasore collector Mayur Suryawanshi to extend the ongoing paddy procurement period by at least a month.
The demand comes after the district administration reportedly decided to stop paddy procurement, which began in January, within a fortnight.
A farmer from Kurunta, Pabitra Kumar, said, “Around 100 farmers were officially registered to sell their paddy at the local mandi. So far, only around 50 per cent of the paddy has been procured with many farmers are still waiting to sell their produce.”
Kumar said if the procurement is stopped, the remaining farmers will be unable to sell their paddy, making it difficult for them to repay their loans and pushing them into severe financial distress.
As per the procurement arrangement, the Kurunta society was expected to receive a milling target of around 20,000 quintal of rice from millers to ensure smooth procurement. However, only about 500 quintal of the target has been provided so far, which is grossly insufficient considering the large quantity of paddy produced by farmers in the area, he claimed.
Farmers further claimed that they are unable to sell their paddy at the mandis despite completing all required formalities due to shortage of procurement targets. Their harvested paddy is currently lying in the open, making it vulnerable to damage from rain, pests, and moisture, which could lead to significant financial losses, they alleged.
A senior official from the district administration said they will look into the matter.