Farmers in Odisha's Ganjam district block road over slow pace of paddy procurement

They alleged that paddy has not been procured even as validity of the tokens is going to lapse soon, forcing them to resort to distress sale with traders from Andhra Pradesh.
Image used for representational purpose only
Image used for representational purpose only

BERHAMPUR: Upset over paddy procurement moving at a snail's pace and non-cooperation of millers, farmers on Sunday staged road blockade at various places seeking immediate lifting of the harvest from mandis in Chhatrapur block in Ganjam district.

Aggrieved farmers blocked Chhatrapur-Taratarini main road by squatting and putting paddy bags on the road leading to disruption in vehicular movement for hours. They alleged that paddy has not been procured even as validity of the tokens is going to lapse soon, forcing them to resort to distress sale with traders from Andhra Pradesh.

Of the 400 tokens issued in Chhatrapur block, around 1,461 quintal of paddy was purchased from only 37.
In a similar protest on Saturday, farmers in Polasara resorted to road blockade alleging administrative apathy and large-scale discrepancies in paddy lifting, bringing traffic to a grinding halt on Buguda-Polasara road.

"Around eight kg of paddy is deducted under the katni-chhatni policy and we want the quality norms to be relaxed this time as the crops took a hit due to unseasonal rains," said Kishor Bhuyan and Sankar Pradhan, farmers of Polasara.

Contacted, district civil supplies officer P Munda said paddy procurement is going on smoothly and steps are being taken to check any distress sale. The blockade was lifted following assurance from Chhatrapur tehsildar Prakash Chandra Mishra and IIC Satyaranjan Pradhan.

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