The Farmers Cell of the State Congress on Monday said it would soon stage an agitation in protest against the State Government’s alleged failure in paddy procurement and distress sale.
The State Government has failed to procure paddy from farmers of the State during the current season. Only 30 per cent Mandis have been opened and the farmers have been forced to sell paddy at a much lower price than the minimum support price. Millers and outside traders are taking advantage while backbone of farmers have already broken, allege Farmers’ Cell chief Amiya Kumar Patnaik in a Statement.
Informing that he recently visited Sambalpur district to take stock of the situation, Patnaik said paddy procurement agencies like Markfed, Nafed, TDCC, FCI and the Supply department are not procuring paddy from the farmers. Only a few number of Primary Agriculture Societies are procuring paddy, Patnaik alleged.
He demanded that the State Government increase the MSP to `2,500 and provide `300 as MSP per quintal of paddy soon. He further demanded that paddy procurement period be enhanced to six months from current three months. He said the PCC Farmers Cell would take to the street if the State Government doesn’t fulfill its demands on war-footing.
Among others, Sambalpur town Congress president Jay Shankar Mishra, Farmers Cell leader Debilal Pradhan, Subodh Behera, Dharam Singh Badapanda, Jagannath Jena and Santosh Sahu had accompanied Patnaik during Sambalpur visit.