BHUBHANESWAR: Maize farmers of Nabarangpur district breathed a sigh of relief after the Centre decided that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will procure the crop from them. Nabarangpur is the highest producer of maize in the State.
Lately, the farmers were facing distress sale as no government agencies came forward for procuring maize.
Besides, the Regulated Market Committee (RMC) which opened a mandi at Umerkote failed to arrange any agency that was ready to buy maize at the government support price of Rs 840 per quintal. As a result of this, farmers were forced to sell their produce at lower rates. When the farmers expressed resentment over this recently, local MP Pradeep Majhi and Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Jena brought the matter to the notice of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. Following this, Pawar directed the FCI to procure maize from the farmers of the district.