Paddy procurement in Palamu is slow but is likely to pick up with Sun getting more friendly said sources. Farmers are wary of the moist content of their paddy and cash crunch too is a major factor in transporting bags of paddy from the farmers' fields to the procurement centres. Palamu has 15 procurement centres excluding one more in Paton block.
Chainpur block in Palamu has recorded procurement of just 20 quintal of paddy from just single farmer till January 11.
The procurement scenario of paddy in other blocks namely Haidernagar, Hussainabad Parwa Panki and Tarhassi are very pathetic as there is zero procurement read an official figure of the summary report.
By January 11 the expected procurement of paddy was 1, 46, 453 quintal but against this the procurement till January 11 is a bare 3,408 quintal of paddy.
DC Palamu Ameet Kumar confirming this said this is true that hordes of farmers are not reaching 15 procurement centres set up in Palamu for paddy but this is also true that procurement is on and farmers will come running if and when FCI ensures SMS reaches them well in advance.
FCI is sending SMS to farmers to bring their paddy to centre. Till January 11 there has been 390 SMS sent to 1,752 farmers out of which 74 farmers reached procurement centre with their paddy till January 11.
Sources said FCI officials working leaves much to be desired. DC Ameet Kumar said " I have categorically asked FCI officials here to work hard as laxity in paddy procurement will not be brooked'.
Sources said the apathy of FCI can be seen with this official figure that till January 11 they did not send any SMS to farmers under Parwa block and so no farmer turned up at the Parwa procurement centre.
DC Ameet Kumar said ' WE need to give a further push to procurement of paddy in Palamu but over all this district fares well so far in comparison to other districts in procurement of paddy which is 58 quintal of paddy in Koderma district till January 11 or it is nil in Sahebganj district.'
Neighbouring district latehar and Garhwa's paddy procurement scenario is like this latehar 512 quintal and Garhwa 2,896 quintal. Sources said Bokaro, Chatra and Deoghar are yet to open the procurement account as it is zero till January 11.