Minister for Marketing T. Harish Rao has expressed disappointment over the delays taking place in the payment of proceeds for sale of maize, soyabean, paddy and other farm produce by farmers as part of the minimum support price (MSP) operations.
He directed the officials concerned to take action against the staff of marketing department, Markfed and other departments involved in the MSP operations for delaying the payment of sale proceeds to farmers.
In a video conference held on the issue from Secretariat on Friday, the Minister warned against such delays in spite of the government providing ₹.500 crore to the Markfed.
Citing the example of Shadnagar agriculture committee market, the Minister said the farmers had brought to his notice two days back when he visited the market that they were paid only ₹66 lakh after purchasing maize worth ₹.4.83 crore. Maize worth ₹284 crore was procured across the State and payment of ₹100 crore was pending till two days back. However, the process for clearing ₹50 crore of it had already commenced.
The Minister directed the officials concerned to make payments within 72 hours of procuring the stocks from farmers. He admitted that the delay in payments was also forcing some farmers to sell their produce to private traders even at a lesser price. He suggested the cotton farmers not to resort to distress sale since there was good demand for the fibre crop in the international markets.
He also faulted the officials for not shifting the procured stocks to godowns in the name of non-availability of lorries for the purpose. He suggested the officials to take up such matters with the Joint Collectors concerned so that they could take up with matter with the motor vehicle inspectors and arrange lorries for transportation.
Officials from several districts have also brought to the notice of the Minister that payments in lieu of soyabean procured were still pending. He took the officials of Khammam to task for allowing some unlicensed traders carrying out trade in the market yard there.
The minister also told the officials to look into the complaints of ginning mills fleecing farmers in the name of different charges and also into the report of recycling of maize – private traders purchasing at lesser prices from farmers and selling it at higher prices at procurement centres. The officials were also told to discourage availing storage space in private godowns since there was ample storage capacity in government godowns.
