Paddy procurement resumes in Sambalpur after deadlock with millers

Paddy procurement in Sambalpur resumed after several days of disruption caused by a standoff between rice millers and the district administration on Monday. The process restarted smoothly at the Bareipali mandi and other procurement centres, with paddy-laden vehicles moving to various mills after weighing.

Mandis across the district had opened on the 28th of the month, but procurement stalled on the first day as millers refused to accept paddy stocks. Following a meeting between farmer organisations and the administration, it was agreed that procurement would resume. When vehicles carried paddy from mandis to mills the next day, millers once again declined to accept the stock, insisting their demands be addressed first.

The deadlock escalated late that night when a large number of farmers gathered in protest, after which the paddy was finally transported to the mills. Though all issues had not been fully resolved at the time of reporting, procurement formally began on Monday, with tractors entering different mills after weighing.

Administration Steps In to Break Impasse

Sources said millers had earlier withdrawn from the procurement process over multiple demands. After intervention from the local administration, they agreed to participate following assurances that their registration process would be facilitated.

A farmer representative said, “No documents were given to the farmers, but the millers collected the paddy brought into the mills today.”

A weighbridge operator added, “We are recording all data,  farmers’ names, token numbers, vehicle details, number of sacks, signatures, and transaction amounts.”

Officials expressed confidence that the process will stabilise in the coming days, even as negotiations with millers continue.