Subarnapur: Even as the paddy procurement target set for Hilunga of Subarnapur district has been achieved, hundreds of farmers are still spending sleepless nights under open sky at the market yard of local Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) guarding the surplus consignment of thousands of sacks.
The farmers are in distress as paddy could not be sold despite waiting for past seven days at the market yard. They are clueless as to why millers are not procuring paddy after they were asked to bring paddy to the market yard and given tokens.
The leftover paddy has raised questions about the procurement process in the district.
Meanwhile, officials of the Hilunga PACS said they are aware of the trouble of the farmers and stated the paddy procurement target has already been achieved leading to leftover paddy.
The District Supplies Officer stated action will be taken soon to increase the paddy procurement target and purchase the surplus consignment.
In another case, farmers of Dhenkanal have been troubled at several market yards as millers deduct four to five kgs per quintal of paddy citing quality issues. They are forced to go by the decision of millers when they have spent considerable amount on transportation of the agricultural produce.
Krushna Chandra Panda, a farmer, said, “Despite deduction we are ready to sell paddy as we cannot take it back and spend money on transportation.”
Hadibandhu Sethi, Dhenkanal District Supplies officer, said, “There is no guideline to deduct four or five kgs of paddy as alleged by farmers. However, I will direct officials to probe into the matter.”
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