Rice Farmers Struggle with Unexpected Paddy Procurement Halt
Farmers in Kakinada are facing severe difficulties due to an unexpected halt in paddy procurement at Rythu Seva Kendras, impacting their ability to sell unsold produce and raising concerns about monsoon damage. The district is set for potential additional rice targets as authorities work to expedite deliveries.
Highlights
- •Farmers await urgent resumption of procurement for boiled rice paddy in Kakinada
- •Differentials between raw and boiled rice procurement targets remain
- •Joint Collector Apoorva Bharat has instructed millers to speed up deliveries to meet FCI requirements
- •Stricter measures are being taken against non-compliance with the current procurement schedule
BOILED RICE paddy farmers in Kakinada are experiencing significant distress following the sudden suspension of procurement at Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs), leaving them with unsold stocks and heightened concerns ahead of the monsoon season. The stoppage has left several farmers, like Yalla Veerabhadra Rao from Pedapudi mandal, struggling as they have 160 bags of paddy lying idle, yet uncertain about selling their produce.
According to MD Naick, Kakinada district civil supplies corporation manager, the district had already attained its procurement target of 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of boiled-rice paddy and was expecting additional provisions for an extra 30,000 metric tonnes. He assured that the procurement of raw rice paddy would continue unabated at RSK centers.
Procurement Halt Affects Milling Schedule
The halted procurement has also disrupted the milling schedule, with millers scaling back deliveries to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and civil supplies corporation as instructed by Joint Collector Apoorva Bharat. To boost delivery targets, the joint collector visited key rice mills in Jaggampet, Kirlampudi, Prathipadu, Karapa, and Kajuluru mandals, urging millers to expedite deliveries strictly according to the prescribed time-tables.
Naick emphasized that there would be strict action against any millers who failed to comply with their CMR delivery obligations. Millers have also been directed to adhere strictly to government orders for timely completion of delivery targets, thereby safeguarding the district's quotas for raw and boiled rice supplied by the state civil supplies corporation.
