Distress sales hit Kendrapara farmers as stock piles up; paddy sold below Rs 3,110 MSP
By Ashis Senapati
The spectre of distress sale haunts large numbers of paddy farmers in Kendrapara, thanks to the slipshod attitude of the district officials.
As a result, farmers are selling their paddy harvest below the government-fixed price of Rs 3,110 per quintal.
The government’s procurement process, which began on January 10, is facing implementation issues, leaving harvesting grounds and thrashing fields littered with paddy crops. Farmers report that millers and agents are exploiting the situation by offering prices below the official minimum support price (MSP).
“The untimely rains last month damaged crop quality, making it difficult to meet the fair average quality (FAQ) standards required by authorities,” says Bhikari Mohanty, a farmer from Biraswati village.
Ashok Mandal, a farmer from Badatubi village said that without road connectivity, they are made to navigate crocodile infested waters of the Kharinashi river to reach the nearest primary agriculture cooperative society (PACS) in Ramanagar, 10 km away. This has forced many to sell their paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal, far below the government fixed price of Rs 3,110.
Large numbers of farmers across the district are being forced to make distress sales of paddy crops, resulting in huge financial losses, said Madhaba Das, the vice- president of the district unit of Krishak Sabha.
Ramachandra Haldar from Batighar village recently sold three quintals at just Rs 2,300 per quintal to rice traders visiting their village.
Contacted, district civil supplies officer Srinibas Sahoo said that 118 PACSes have been authorised to procure 85,308 metric tons of paddy in the first phase. “We are conducting awareness programs about FAQ norms in villages,” he said, adding that strict action would be taken against non-compliant rice mill owners. The officer also emphasised the mandatory use of jute bags for paddy packaging, in line with recent government regulations.
This article was been republished from The New Indian Express.