Paddy procurement in Odisha’s Bargarh district resumed on Wednesday, after days of disruption, following a series of discussions involving government officials, millers and farmers. 

Procurement through the P-PAS system resumed with the lifting of 724.79 quintals of paddy from the Tora, Kalapani, Godabhaga, Gudesira and Atabira mandis. Out of this, 265 quintals were lifted from Kalapani mandi and 94 quintals from Godabhaga mandi. 

The Sub-Collector formally inaugurated the process by initiating the coconut-breaking ritual.

Although mandis in the district had opened on November 28, procurement did not begin, leading to dissatisfaction among farmers. The delay was attributed to unresolved concerns between millers and the government, as well as local issues raised by farmers. 

The situation prompted the Joint Farmers’ Organisation to convene a meeting at Kalapani mandi on Tuesday, where participants discussed problems related to mandi management and token distribution.

According to reports, officials, including the Sub-Collector and the Cooperative Officer, held extended discussions with farmers to address their concerns. Following written assurances from the administration on key demands, paddy lifting began from the mandis, signalling the end of the standstill.

Officials Respond to Farmers’ Concerns

Prasanna Pande, Bargarh Sub-Collector, said, “Their issues fall into two categories– local and State-level. We informed them that the State-level concerns will be communicated to the government through the District Collector so that they can be addressed appropriately. The local issue related to their demand that paddy be lifted within 48 hours, and both the DRCS and I have given them written assurance on this. Millers’ agents will not be permitted to assess the quality of the paddy; instead, members of PACS and the RMC will carry out the quality checks.” 

He further said, “Another one of their demands was that paddy procurement be conducted through the online system, and we discussed this in detail. We also spoke about ensuring that the procurement process is handled smoothly in future.”

Farmers Outline Their Position

Ramesh Mohapatra, a farmer, said, “We held our protest over five demands. The Sub-Collector and the DRCS met us and assured that the issues within their authority would be resolved, and those beyond their jurisdiction would be forwarded to senior officials.” 

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“From today, the P-PAS system will be enforced, and procurement will be carried out in the same manner as last year. If this system is followed properly, we will sell our paddy; otherwise, we will stage a protest again,” he added.