Paddy procurement delay: Farmers stage road blockade by spilling paddy on road

Cuttack: Opposing delay and irregularities in paddy procurement at different mandis in the district, several farmers today hit the streets and staged road blockade by spilling paddy on the road.

According to sources, hundreds of farmers staged road blockade near Kokalaba Chhak in Narasinghpur block by spilling paddy on the road protesting the paddy procurement delay. Following this, road communication between Cuttack and Narasinghpur was disrupted.

The farmers alleged they have been waiting for millers to procure paddy at mandis. But they have to return from the mandis twice as millers did not turn up to procure the crops.

With this delay and non-procurement of paddy, resentment has been growing among farmers for the past few days. They further alleged that they have been under severe distress over repayment of loans that they have taken for farming.

Besides, owing to the delay in paddy procurement process farmers are forced to go for distress sale and are selling their crops at a lower price to farmers and middlemen.

Meanwhile, officials of district administration are yet to reach the spot to resolve the issue.