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THE MAJORITY of farmers in Bihar, who’ve harvested their paddy crop this season, don’t have any choice however to sell their produce at charges much below the Minimum Support Price of Rs 1,868 per quintal in open market, largely due to delayed and sluggish procurement by the state authorities’s nodal procurement company, Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS).
Although the official date to begin the paddy procurement course of is November 15, this yr it began solely every week in the past in 9 of the 32 districts. So far, 793 MT paddy has been procured – towards the goal of 30 lakh MT – stated officers concerned within the procurement course of.
According to official estimates, greater than 80 per cent of farmers within the state have already harvested their paddy crop. On a mean, the state grows round 1.60 crore MT paddy yearly, out of which the federal government procures round 30 lakh MT paddy. In 2019-20, nevertheless, it procured somewhat over 20 lakh MT paddy from over 27 lakh farmers.
Several farmers instructed The Indian Express that they’d to sell their paddy for Rs 800-Rs 1,200 per quintal in open market, though the MSP is Rs 1,868 per quintal, because the procurement course of is but to start of their areas.
R R Roy, of Pipra village in Banka, stated, “My paddy is ready but there is no place to preserve it and wait for the PACS procurement to get underway. Local traders have been exploiting farmers by giving much less price than MSP.”
A farmer from Dinara accused the PACS of delaying the procurement course of intentionally so that almost all farmers sell out their paddy. “In some cases, local traders would get receipt of paddy sale from farmers who have already sold their paddy to local traders by offering them Rs 50-Rs 100 per quintal. PACS does transfer MSP amount to farmers, who would return money to the brokers,” alleged the farmer.
Many farmers from different areas additionally accused native merchants of comparable modus operandi.
Shambhu Sen, who’s accountable for the paddy procurement course of in Bihar, stated, “It is true that there was some delay in procurement however we’ve began it in some 9 districts. We have procured 793 MT paddy to date. Procurement will velocity up within the coming days.
Ramesh C Choubey, chairman of Bihar State Cooperative Bank, which assists the PACS to procure paddy within the type of loans, stated, “It is true that paddy procurement should ideally start from November 15 but there are moisture issues.”
However, Alok Kumar, a Rohtas farmer, stated: “We do not understand PACS’ logic of citing higher moisture of paddy to delay procurement. Let PACS deduct some amount on count of higher moisture. Local traders alone stand to gain from the state government’s apathy… ”
Bharat Singh of Tarapur, Munger, stated the state authorities ought to interact a number of companies – like in UP and another states – for paddy procurement. “This would give more options to the farmers. MSP is a false promise as the state government procures paddy from less than 20 per cent farmers… Farmers have to stand united to force the central government to make a law ensuring MSP even in open market,” he stated.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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