JEYPORE: Even as the kharif season is on the threshold, rabi paddy in the district is yet to be procured, disappointing farmers.With proper irrigation facilities from the Upper Kolab project, farmers had cultivated paddy in over 12,000 hectares in the ayacut areas of Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma and Kundra blocks.In the last one week, paddy over 5,000 hectares had been harvested and 2,000 tonnes of rice threshed till date. However, not a single tonne has been procured so far. As per the practice, the district administration should begin procurement by May 15.Farmers said the district administration has not yet selected the mandis where paddy will be procured through various agencies. The worried farmers are now disposing of their produce at much lower rates than the government’s minimum support price (MSP).Sources said the State Government had targeted to procure 2.20 lakh quintals of paddy from the district in the rabi season. “Considering the delay, it would at least take two months for the agencies to buy all the paddy. This will hit the farmers hard as they need money to start kharif cultivation,” said S Pradhan, a farmer leader of Kotpad.Sources said procurement had been delayed as the District Collector is on leave. “The process would begin only after he returns,” said an official.
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