Procurement of rabi paddy will start in the district from Friday. During the rabi season, paddy was grown in 61,380 hectares (ha) of land including 55,532 ha in Dharamgarh sub-division alone.
With a production of 45.2 quintals of paddy per ha on an average, around 2,76,313 tonnes of paddy has been produced in the season in Kalahandi.
At a meeting to draw the procurement strategy held this week, Collector Govind Chandra Sethi said 51 mandis will be opened for procurement this year as against 24 last year. However, only those rice millers who were roped in for procurement during the kharif season and delivered 60 per cent of rice to FCI and Civil Supply Corporation will only be eligible to lift paddy this season.
Sources said of 87 rice millers engaged in kharif season, only 18 have qualified to participate in rabi procurement till date. Administration of Balangir, Nuapada and neighbouring districts have also been urged to participate.
On the other hand, millers alleged that even as they are capable of supplying rice, there is not enough space in the FCI godowns.
Owner of Maa Bhagabti rice mill of Dharamgarh Anil Jain said FCI is not accepting rice now on the plea of lack of space.
“For the last four months, rice stock is lying in our mill and if this situation continues for a few more months, the stock will be damaged,” he alleged.
Owner of Balaji Rice Mill of Junagarh Pawan Goel made similar allegations.
They said unless FCI creates space in its godown by clearing existing stock, procurement will be severely affected.
FCI has a godown of 12,000-tonne capacity in the district. Civil Supply Corporation has 8,000-tonne capacity godown and both godowns are full to their capacity as of now.
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