As Bikram Kashyap Panda pointed out earlier distress sale of paddy contiunes in Kalahandi and Western Orissa

Govt should address ryots’ issues soon: Farmers' leader
Expressbuzz, June 16, 2009

BHUBANESWAR: It seems the farmers are sandwiched between the conflicts of the State Government and the Centre as the paddy of the last rabi season is still seen at various harvesting yards due to lack of suitable buyers.

At many places where the farmers are forced to dispose of their paddy at Rs 60-100 less per bag in the western Orissa districts, many are still hopeful of getting some adequate returns through `procurement drive’ which is yet to take place.

``While the State Government recently criticised the Centre for not moving the stocks to make enough space for the new procurement, the Opposition, mainly the Congress, has perhaps forgotten the issue with the UPA Government at the Centre and thinking that debate on the issue might invite criticism from the public,’’ feels Paschim Orissa Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya general secretary Samiti Saroj Mohanty.

Saying that the farmers of the command area of Hirakud dam from Bargarh, Barpali and Sambalpur are feeling the pinch of distress sale of paddy, he said earlier, the issue was between the mill owners and the district administration, but with the two governments making claims and counter claims, the farmers are bound to lose much and with the monsoon round the corner, they might lose heavily due to rain or a `panic sale’.

``Not only Hirakud command area, but other parts of the State having `double cropping’ pattern like Indravati command area in Kalahandi or the coastal districts are also facing difficulties in getting remunerative price for their paddy and currently paddy is sold at Rs 650-700 a bag while the minimum support price is Rs 850,’’ he added.

To cap it, the reported shortage of the seed at block-level before the monsoon will also put farmers in trouble, he said adding the shortage of fertilisers should also be addressed by the State Government at the earliest.

Regarding availability of quality seed in adequate quantity, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh had already made a statement in the Assembly.

Other issues like introduction of cotton cultivation in larger areas of KBK districts overlooking production of small millets and pulses risking the earnings of small farmers might not be beneficial, Mohanty said adding the proposed `Jatropa’ cultivation in some pockets of western Orissa for `bio-diesel’ could lead to foodgrain shortage as happened in the US in the recent past.