WARANGAL: Farmers staged a protest and locked the gates of the agricultural market yard in Narsampet on Friday, demanding that officials immediately begin procurement of their paddy stock.
Unseasonal rains that lashed several parts of Warangal district on Thursday night damaged paddy stocks kept at the market yard while farmers were awaiting government procurement. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds were reported at isolated places across the district.
K Sambaraju, a farmer from Kammepally village in Narsampet mandal, said he had brought his paddy to the market yard for government procurement. He alleged that officials had failed to take timely measures for the procurement of agricultural produce.
“With the threat of unseasonal rains and hailstorms looming large, officials should purchase the paddy at the earliest to prevent further losses,” he said.
Another farmer, B Raj Reddy, said he had been waiting for nearly 20 days to sell his produce at the market yard. He alleged that the recent rains damaged the paddy stocks and accused officials of failing to provide gunny bags and tarpaulin sheets to protect the produce from rain.
However, officials of the Warangal district civil supplies department refuted the allegations, stating that soaked paddy was being procured from farmers and shifted to parboiled rice mills. They also denied claims that tarpaulin sheets were not supplied to farmers at the market yard.