Farmers warn of continued protests over paddy procurement delays in Sambalpur

The first day of operations at the Beraipali mandi in Sambalpur on Friday turned tense as farmers and officials clashed over delays in procurement, leaving cultivators frustrated and worried about their earnings.

As the market opened on Friday, several farmers gathered to sell their paddy, but due to administrative and logistical issues, purchases could not take place smoothly. This led to heated arguments between farmers and officials, with cultivators expressing strong dissatisfaction over the delay. 

Farmers alleged that cooperative and supply department officials were not taking timely action, which caused unnecessary inconvenience. Earlier, millers who were scheduled to buy paddy reportedly left the market abruptly after discussions failed to reach a consensus, further aggravating the situation. 

Farmers have warned that they will continue protests until their three-point charter of demands is fully met, emphasising that procurement must resume without further delay.

Meanwhile, officials are closely monitoring the situation on Saturday to ensure operations return to normal. Market authorities have appealed to both farmers and millers to maintain calm, while measures are being taken to streamline the procurement process.

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Farmers in the region remain apprehensive about the coming days, as unresolved issues from the first day have raised concerns about whether the market will operate smoothly in the near future.