Farmer's body fears distress sale of paddy

KORAPUT: Zilla Krushak Kalyan Manch (ZKKM), a farmers' outfit, fears distress sale of paddy in Koraput district of Odisha as the administration has closed procurement centres for two days after opening on June 10.


The association alleged that with mandis being closed, the farmers will be forced to sell their produce to private parties at a lower rate than Rs 1,250 for a quintal of fair average quality (FAQ) paddy as fixed by the government.

"While farmers have already suffered huge loss of harvested crops in last week's torrential rain, closure of mandis has increased their woes as they are unable to sell their remaining produce, which is in good condition," said ZKKM secretary Narendra Kumar Pradhan.

According to Pradhan, cashing on the situation traders from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, with help of their local agentes have started visiting villages and are trying to procure paddy from formers at a lower price than the government fixced price.

Former Koraput MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati has alleged that over 200 trucks of paddy from Jeypore, Borigumma and Kundra blocks have already been transported to Andhra in connivance with the local middlemen in past one week.

"As the crop loss assessment is in full swing in the district, the mandis have been temporarily closed. If mandis remain open it may hamper crop loss assessment," said Koraput district collector Sachin R Jadhav.