BHUBANESWAR: Even as farmers of some western Odisha districts continue to protest over mandi mismanagement, the state government has claimed to have procured over 17.29 lakh tonnes of paddy so far in the current Kharif marketing season (KMS).
Around 3,35,678 farmers have sold their paddy under minimum support price (MSP) amounting to Rs 3,388.93 crore. The MSP for the common variety of paddy is Rs 1,940 per quintal while the cost of the Grade-A variety of paddy is Rs 1,960 per quintal.
The state government has set a tentative target to procure 77 lakh tonne paddy in the 2021-22 KMS which will be around 52 lakh tonne rice. While the kharif target for procurement of paddy is 63 lakh tonne, it has planned to buy 14 lakh tonne during rabi season.
The state had procured 77.32 lakh tonnes of paddy (both kharif and rabi seasons) in the 2020-21 KMS. It was around 52.35 lakh tonne in terms of rice.
On the other hand, president of state BJP Kisan Morcha Pradip Purohit said that mismanagement in procurement persists as the rice millers dictate terms. Inordinate delay in procurement has led to distress sale, he added.
Alleging that each farmer has to forgo the cost for at least 4-5 kg per bag of paddy which is called ‘Katni Chatni’, Purohit said the rice millers are lifting paddy stock from mandis where farmers agree to their demands.