Nabarangpur, 11th Sept 2025: It has already been over a month since the potato harvesting season ended in the district. However, farmers have still not received their subsidy payments. As a result, many farmers have expressed their dissatisfaction.
In the 2024-25 agricultural year, potatoes were cultivated on 160 hectares of land in the district. In the 2025-26 agricultural year, around 4,200 farmers from 10 blocks cultivated potatoes on 595 hectares of land. Some farmers cultivated on 15 cents (approx. 0.15 acre), while others farmed on up to half an acre.
Farmers such as Madana Mali, Arjuna Gouda, Pradeep Mali, Chaitanya Mali, Bhagaban Mali, and Purushottam Mali from villages like Sindhiguda, Sindhigaon, and Saruguda under Nandahandi, Tentulikhunti, and Nabarangpur blocks had collected potato seeds from the department in December 2024 and carried out farming. The potato harvest was completed within two and a half to three months. However, the farmers allege that they have not yet received the promised subsidy.
Farmers had purchased potato seeds from the Horticulture Department at the rate of ₹42 per kg, but the ₹32 subsidy per kg is yet to be credited to them.
Compared to last year, the number of farmers and production levels have both increased in the district. The Horticulture Department has been providing support for various crops, including potatoes. However, due to a shortage of staff in the department, farmers’ documents could not be collected in time.
On the other hand, the Horticulture Department claims that technical issues have caused the delay in subsidy disbursal. Out of the required 30 staff members, only5 10 are currently working in the district’s Horticulture Department.
In Nabarangpur block, all farmers have already received their subsidy payments. The department has assured that farmers in the Borigumma block will receive their payments very soon.