Odisha farmers stage road blockade over 'non-procurement of paddy'

Hundreds of farmers on Wednesday hit the streets and blocked the Bhadrak-Chandbali road at Kundipol junction in Odisha, protesting non-procurement of their paddy. The demonstration has caused significant traffic disruption, leaving numerous vehicles stranded.

Sitting atop their paddy sacks, the farmers have halted traffic, resulting in long queues of vehicles in both directions. The farmers, predominantly from the Kedarpur Panchayat, alleged that over 450 of them have been unable to sell their paddy at the mandis. 

Although these farmers are registered under the Mother Teresa Women's Society, permission to procure paddy was allegedly granted to another group, the Shivashakti Women's Society, sparking controversy and leading to legal proceedings. As this case is sub-judice, the affected farmers' difficulties persist.

Also Read: Odisha farmers allege improper functioning, mistreatment in paddy mandis

The farmers claimed that they have communicated their concerns to the district supplies department and the local administration on multiple occasions. However, no effective solutions have been offered, leaving them with no option but to resort to road blockades to voice their grievances.

“They are not lifting our paddy even as January is all set to come to an end. They are least bothered about our conditions. We have grown paddy by taking loans and are under heavy debt. But, the procurement is yet to start in the mandis,” alleged Subhash Jena, an agitating farmer.

Likewise, another farmer Gautam Patra alleged, “The mandi was supposed to open on January 5. The month is about to end, but they have not opened the mandi or bought our produce. With no storage facility, the harvested paddy is lying on the fields. Cattle are feeding on our hard harvested paddy while many are even trying to steal the sacks of rice.”

Efforts to reach the authorities for comment have not yielded a response. 

This development highlights the ongoing challenges faced by farmers in accessing fair compensation for their agricultural produce, a critical issue within India's agricultural landscape.