NALGONDA: While 361 procurement centres were announced for coarse paddy and 23 for the superfine variety in the district, actual procurement has begun at only a few centres.
Roads & Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who represents the Nalgonda Assembly segment, symbolically launched procurement at the Arjalabhavi IKP Centre and in Tipparthy. Civil supplies officials estimate that around 6 lakh metric tonnes of paddy are expected to be grown across the district this season.
However, only 1 lakh MT of coarse paddy has reached procurement centres over the past week, and millers have procured just 5,000 MT so far.
Farmers, meanwhile, are facing serious hurdles. N Venkataiah, a farmer from Tipparthy mandal, said he was forced to sell his paddy to middlemen at Rs 1,900 per quintal — well below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,320 — after millers refused to buy his produce citing high moisture content and other quality issues. “I waited a week. With the threat of rain, I had no choice. Officials are clearly colluding with millers,” he alleged.
Farmers also complained that several millers were not allotted procurement centres, while existing centres lacked basic facilities such as weighing machines and tarpaulin covers. Allegations of malpractice have surfaced, with farmers claiming that after paddy is weighed at procurement centres, 2–3 kgs are later deducted at the mills under the guise of wastage.
Protest at purchase centre
On Wednesday, farmers staged a protest at the Tipparthy procurement centre against these irregularities. On Thursday, paddy stored at the Chamledu IKP Centre in Gurrampode mandal was drenched in rain due to the lack of protective covers.
Farmer associations slammed the district administration for failing to intervene. They alleged that the district collector has not held any review meetings with officials or millers despite the ongoing crisis. “The collector is busy visiting schools and hostels as the summer holidays near, but has no time to address farmers’ issues,” a farmers’ representative said.
Meanwhile, BJP Kisan Morcha state president Kondapalli Sridhar Reddy and district BJP president Dr Nagam Varshit Reddy visited procurement centres in Tipparthy, Madugulapally and Vemulapally on Thursday. They accused the government of failing to provide even basic infrastructure and alleged that traders and millers were exploiting farmers while allegedly paying commissions to ministers.
DSO post lies vacant
Despite being the top paddy-producing district in Telangana, Nalgonda currently does not have a District Civil Supplies Officer (DSO). The previous officer retired two months ago, and no replacement has been appointed.