WARANGAL: Though the State government is carrying out the procurement of various crops produced during Yasangi season on a war-footing basis, the paddy growers in the erstwhile Warangal are a worried lot as the processes are getting delayed in their areas. According to the ryots, even if they manage to bring the produce to the procurement centres, the officials are not purchasing the crops citing various reasons.
When Express interacted with a few distressed farmers, they said, even if they reach the Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) centres at the allotted time, the officials are not ready to purchase the crops claiming the shortage of hamalis and vehicles to transport paddy to the rice mills.
The farmers had utilised around five lakh acres of land in the erstwhile district to grow paddy during Yasangi as the government had managed to ensure adequate supply of irrigation water. Though the announcement that all procurement centres will be opened came as a blessing to the farmers, the aforementioned situation has reportedly left them in the lurch.
Speaking to Express, M Soma Reddy, a farmer, said that though he took his 150 quintals of paddy to the nearby IKP centre about 20 days ago, the officials concerned have not weighed it till now. When Express contacted Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu, he was not available to comment on the issue.