Odisha Farmers block main road over paddy procurement chaos at LAMPS

Farmers in Odisha’s Keonjhar district staged a road blockade protesting irregularities in paddy procurement at the Karanjia LAMPS under Champua block, on Sunday. The agitation was triggered after paddy purchase operations failed to begin despite official assurances from the department concerned.

Also Read: Odisha farmers got Rs 2,350 crore as 10.5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procured: Minister

According to the local farmers, they were informed that procurement would start from last Saturday. Acting on the notification, cultivators arrived at the procurement centre of LAMPS with their produce, only to find that paddy buying had not commenced. The delay and lack of clear communication led to growing frustration among the farmers.

Expressing their resentment, the aggrieved cultivators blocked the Champua–Karanjia main road, demanding immediate resumption of paddy procurement and accountability from the authorities. The protest caused a temporary disruption of traffic in the area.

Farmers alleged mismanagement at Karanjia LAMPS and warned that continued negligence would force them to intensify their agitation. The incident once again highlights persistent challenges in agricultural procurement systems and the hardships faced by farmers during harvest season.

“The scheduled paddy procurement was to begin on December 27. Subsequently, they (the LAMPS authorities) told us that our produce would be purchased from Saturday (the 3rd of this month). But the procurement has not started yet,” an agitating local farmer, Balabhadra Behera, said to OTV.

It is pertinent to mention that, earlier on January 1, Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra had informed that the Odisha government has so far procured 10.5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the ongoing procurement season, benefiting around 2.3 lakh farmers across the State.

According to the Minister, a total of Rs 2,350 crore has already been transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts. He had further stated that tokens have been issued to nearly 11 lakh farmers so far, ensuring smooth participation in the procurement process.

Paddy purchase will continue till March this year, and the State government aims to procure paddy from all eligible farmers.

Besides, the Central government is to lift 6 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Odisha, including 5 lakh metric tonnes of parboiled rice and 1 lakh metric tonnes of raw rice. The remaining 1 lakh metric tonne of rice will be auctioned, the Minister had asserted.