BJP slams Odisha government over closure of market yards

The decision to stop rabi paddy procurement from June 30 rocked the Assembly on Friday with Opposition BJP and Congress urging the state government to continue procurement.
Representational image of BJP (File Photo)
Representational image of BJP (File Photo)

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Sunday slammed the state government over closure of all market yards when farmers are facing a harrowing time in selling their paddy.

“Even as huge quantity of paddy is lying in different market yards of Bargarh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kalahandi and Sonepur districts, procurement of Rabi paddy comes to an end on June 30 forcing farmers to sell their stock at Rs 900 to Rs 1000 per quintal against the minimum support price of Rs 1,750 per quintal,” said state BJP Krushak Morcha president Shibaji Mohanty.

Claiming that over 25,000 quintal of paddy is yet to be lifted from different mandis of Bargarh district, Mohanty said chances of the paddy getting damaged in rain is more as monsoon is becoming active across the state.

He alleged that agencies procuring paddy in Kalahandi district have stopped issuing token to farmers, a prerequisite for identification of genuine farmers, from June 18, 12 days ahead of the official closure of mandis.

The decision to stop rabi paddy procurement from June 30 rocked the Assembly on Friday with Opposition BJP and Congress urging the state government to continue procurement till all the surplus paddy of farmers are exhausted.

Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Ranendra Pratap Swain had assured that the state government will procure all the paddy that will be brought to the market yards.

The state has procured around 64.51 lakh tonne of paddy during the kharif marketing season against a target of 55 lakh tonne.

The government had set a target to procure 11 lakh tonne of paddy during the current Rabi season.

According to official reports, 8.32 lakh acre of land has been registered for paddy procurement this season.

Out of the total 2.08 lakh farmers who have registered their names so far, 15,698 are sharecroppers.

The BJP leader urged the state government to continue the procurement till the entire surplus paddy of farmers is exhausted.

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