JEYPORE: Having procured about 8.21 lakh quintal paddy during the rabi season, the civil supplies department-run mandis closed in Koraput district on Thursday. This is probably for the first time in a decade that the government target of procurement has not been achieved. The state government had set a target to district civil supplies and consumer welfare department to procure about 12.47 lakh quintal paddy from around 20,000 farmers of the district.
Accordingly, the administration engaged 20 large area multi-purpose societies (LAMPS), 15 SHGs and 3 pani panchayats to procure paddy of the rabi season. As per the decision, as many as 74 mandis were to be made operational from June 2 but due to strike by LAMPS, the process started a week late.
In a departure from the past, this time mandis saw slow participation of farmers as well as low procurement by the agencies. As the mandis closed shop on Thursday, only 8.21 lakh quintal paddy was procured by the agencies which is said a first in the last decade.
Normally, farmers demand increased procurement, and complain about process inadequacies which have been absent this season. Sources said most of the big and middle farmers of Jeypore, Kotpad , Borigumma and Kundra blocks sold their paddy stocks to traders of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh as they offered good price compared to what was being paid at the mandis. This led to a precarious situation in procurement this year.
“Farmers received up to Rs 1,950 per quintal paddy from private traders who showed up at their doorsteps and happily sold their stocks to them instead going to the mandis”, said Narendra Pradhan, leader of Koraput Krushak Kalyan Manch.
On the other hand, the farmers used to get only Rs 1,850 per quintal at the mandis which factored in transportation and labour costs as well deduction of paddy by millers. District civil supplies department sources, however, said no extension will be given to mandis to achieve the procurement target of the district.