Contrary to claims made by the State government that farmers would be paid within two days of paddy procurement from various centres, farmers have been running from pillar to post for over a month now, pleading authorities to clear their dues.
During the last rabi season, the district administration had set up around 211 procurement centres, including 66 Indira Kranti Patham (IKP) centres, over 100 Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS) centres, others through District Co-operative Marketing Society (DCMS) and market yards.
Till recently, it had procured 2,21,255 metric tonnes of paddy from 41,126 farmers worth ₹391.52 crore.
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While ₹178.9 crore has been paid, dues to the extent of ₹212.62 crore are yet to be paid to the farmers.
Farmers demotivated
To compound farmers’ woes, authorities imposed a restriction stating they would procure only 40 quintals of paddy per acre, which should be certified by the concerned village revenue officer.
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Farmers who produced more than that were forced to sell their extra paddy to millers at prices lower than the government-fixed minimum support price (MSP).
“Instead of encouraging farmers to increase the yield per acre, the government restriction is unfair and it should be revoked immediately,” said Rythu Ikya Vedika district president Muduganti Venkat Reddy.
Flaying the government for the delay in payment of dues, he said farmers were struggling to take up the ensuing kharif cultivation and meet other personal expenses.
Agitation threat
Mr. Reddy has threatened agitational programmes with the support of farmers from Monday if the government doesn’t clear the dues immediately.
Official sources attributed the delay to frequent election duties in the district and non-release of funds from the government so far. The dues would be deposited in the farmers’ bank accounts in a phased manner as soon as the government releases the funds, they said.