JEYPORE: The ongoing paddy procurement for the ensuing kharif marketing season will end on Thursday, leaving thousands of farmers in Koraput district in a lurch. As many as 2,865 farmers are yet to sell their paddy while the procurement target set by the government for the district has already been met. Sources said the district civil supplies department had asked the government to fix the procurement target at 29 lakh quintal paddy for the kharif season to cover all registered farmers of Koraput.
Accordingly, 103 mandis were opened from November last year and around 33,806 farmers registered themselves in 20 PACS to sell their produce. However, the State government fixed the target at 28.10 lakh in three phases. Till date, paddy from 30,941 farmers has been procured by the administration while thousands of others have been left out in the cold.“I have around 200 quintal paddy left with me but the procurement target has been met. In such a situation, I have to sell my produce at a throwaway price to local traders,” rued Kishor Mishra, a farmer of Jayantigiri under Jeypore block who has been running from pillar to post to sell his produce but in vain.
District civil supplies officer Tularam Nayak said the administration procured paddy from farmers as per target fixed by the government. “The procurement will be complete on Thursday with support of farmers and different agencies involved in the process,” he added.
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