Kotpad: A Rabi Mandi was inaugurated on Friday at the Hatapada area of Kotpad under the Jeypore Regulated Market Committee in Koraput district. The event saw participation from the Sarpanchs, Naib Sarpanchs, farmer leaders, farmers, and the Block Vice-Chairperson of Bobeya, Nuagaon, and Ghumar Panchayats. Officials from the Kotpad LAMPCS, committee staff, and RMC personnel were also present.
It was decided that the mandi will operate three days a week, and approximately 30 quintals of paddy will be procured daily. The government has promised to pay ₹3,100 per quintal to the farmers, and the farmers are eagerly waiting for the procurement to start.
Although the mandi was initially scheduled to begin on May 25, it was postponed to June 5 due to weather conditions. Farmers are now requesting immediate procurement of their harvested paddy before the onset of rains.
At the inauguration, many guests urged for swift procurement. Farmers also raised concerns regarding the lack of platforms and basic infrastructure in the mandis, and they appealed to the LAMPCS and the Regulated Market Committee to provide tarpaulin sheets to protect their harvest, as many villages lack these essential supplies.
Given the weather department’s forecast of imminent rain, farmers are requesting authorities to expedite procurement and ensure proper testing of paddy quality at the mandis. Out of fear of unfair assessment, some farmers have resorted to drying paddy on roadside areas.
In contrast, Chhattisgarh has made comprehensive arrangements to address farmers’ challenges, but similar systems are lacking in Odisha. Local farmers emphasized the need for such supportive infrastructure in the state.
Even before the mandi officially began, some farmers in rural areas fell prey to middlemen, and there are reports of daily truckloads of paddy being transported from certain areas. Allegations have also emerged that some traders managed to get their names registered as farmers at Kotpad LAMPCS, despite not owning any land.
Villagers have demanded that the district administration identify genuine registered farmers and prevent traders from making unauthorized purchases. They also called for an end to middlemen’s involvement to ensure transparency and justice in the paddy procurement process.