Kotpad Farmers from Kotpad block in Koraput district have submitted a memorandum to the District Collector through Jeypore Sub-Collector Akbaram Sasya Reddy, highlighting the mismanagement of the Rabi paddy procurement process.
In the memorandum, the farmers mentioned that although the mandi (procurement center) was officially opened on the 2nd of the month and tokens were issued to them to sell their paddy, actual procurement only started from the 10th. The responsibility of paddy collection was given to millers from Balangir and Kalahandi, but many of them have not lifted the stock yet.
Out of a total of 605 farmers registered under the Kotpad Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society (LAMPS), only 181 have completed the sale of their paddy. The remaining farmers still have their paddy stored at home. A total of 62,514 quintals of paddy is to be procured from the registered farmers, but so far, only 15,868 quintals have been collected.
On most days, only one or two trucks are arriving for paddy lifting, and on some days, no trucks show up at all. With June 30 set as the last date for procurement, many farmers’ paddy remains piled up in the mandi. Due to unseasonal rains, this paddy is getting spoiled.
The farmers have urged the district administration to look into the matter urgently and extend the procurement deadline by 15 more days.