Jharinga, Dec, 13:– Nabarangpur district is a predominantly tribal district, where agriculture is the main livelihood of the tribal population. Maize is considered an important cash crop here, and Nabarangpur ranks first in maize production in Odisha.
However, due to the lack of any proper market or mandi (agricultural market) for maize, local farmers face losses every year. Middlemen purchase maize at low prices, claiming to offer fair value, which forces hundreds of farmers to suffer financially each year.
To address this issue, the MLA of Jharinga, Narasingha Bhatra, has proposed in the Odisha Legislative Assembly during the winter session that a maize mandi should be established in the region, similar to the system in place for paddy. With a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for maize, the local farmers would benefit significantly.