JAGATSINGHPUR: Agitating farmers of Osakana panchayat in Balikuda block called off their protest on Saturday after Civil Supplies officials admitted to lapses in procurement and assured to purchase their paddy stock in the next season.
As many as 50 farmers, all members of primary agricultural cooperative society (PACS) in Balikuda’s Sova village, were staging dharna since Friday and had even threatened of self-immolation over their unsold paddy stock. Blocking the village road with paddy sacks, the agitators alleged that they had received tokens in February but were not given dates for procurement.
As a result, their tokens lapsed after a month. Sources said 4,767 farmers of the district failed to sell paddy in mandis this season and had to resort to distress sale. The affected farmers reportedly sold their paddy at Rs 1,350-Rs 1,400 per quintal against the minimum support price of Rs 1,868. Paddy procurement came to an end on March 31.
Chandeswar Rout, an agitating farmer, said, “I had hoped to conduct my daughter’s marriage next month. However, all my hopes were dashed as I could not sell my paddy stock. Without any option, I was thinking of self immolation.” On being informed about the protest, additional civil supplies officer Prafulla Chandra Behera, Assistant BDO of Balikuda Sanjaya Das and other officials rushed to Osakana panchayat and interacted with the affected farmers.
Admitting to lapses and delay leading to invalid tokens, the officials assured the farmers of collecting their paddy on priority basis in the next season following which the protest was called off.