On matter of fair average quality (FAQ) of paddy of the current season, the farmers are not prepared to agree with the millers or the administration. Angry farmers are now holding frequent road blocks and agitations demanding relaxation in the norms.
The farmers argued that due to Phailin, they had suffered huge loss as standing crops were damaged. However, whatever paddy was left and harvested, it got discoloured and its quality was not up to the mark.
Hence, the millers should relax the norms on quality while procuring paddy these days, they demanded.
But millers had a different view. “The FCI is not purchasing rice from us in the relaxed norms and getting very strict on rice quality.
Hence, rice produced from below FAQ paddy is difficult to be delivered to the FCI,” claimed the millers, adding, “If the FCI doesn’t cooperate or Government doesn’t fix relaxation norms, it is the millers who have to bear the loss.”
“FAQ paddy is also not under the control of the famers who have been hit by natural hazards like Phailin and untimely rains in recent days. Hence, the millers need to reconsider the quality norms,” demanded Ram Sagar Sahu, a farmer leader of Sindurpank area. In the scenario of acute shortage of agricultural labourers and price hike of fertilisers and pesticides, the cost of farming has increased manifold. In such situation, any cut in the rate would be nothing but a blow to the farmers, Sahu added.
Farmers are selling good paddy to the millers directly at fair price. But they are bringing discoloured and damaged paddy to the market yards to sell at minimum support price (MSP). They also know it very well that that paddy is not worth getting the MSP. But they are using the organizational strength to put pressure on administration as the policy of the Government is pro-farmer, said an official.
When contacted, Sambalpur Collector Balwant Singh said that under no circumstances would a single farmer be harassed in the market yards. “Millers have been asked to lift paddy from the market yards or face consequence,” said Singh.