Delay in paddy procurement leaves farmers worried in Medak

The district has been witnessing continuous rains for the last four days, leaving the farmers worried. The farmers were waiting for nearly one month for their produce to be procured at several places.

Medak: Paddy farmers across the erstwhile Medak district are a worried lot with continuous rains soaking the paddy brought to procurement centres. As procurement is being delayed by the official machinery due to various reasons, the wet paddy has started sprouting as well.

The district has been witnessing continuous rains for the last four days, leaving the farmers worried. The farmers were waiting for nearly one month for their produce to be procured at several places.

---

Paddy at procurement centres in Narsapur, Shivvampet, Chilipiched, Manoharabad, Chinna Shankarampet and several other mandals were damaged due to untimely rains.

Out of 393 procurement centres opened in Medak district alone, 321 procurement centres are still as procurement is yet to be completed. Officials of Sanagreddy and Siddipet could not be reached to get procurement statistics. However, procurement is still underway in several places.

A farmer from Narsapur in Medak district, Hanumantha Reddy, said they were waiting at procurement centres for several days as officials were delaying citing a lack of ‘hamalis’, gunny bags and trucks and other reasons.

Reddy said they were forced to stay at the procurement centres though the southwest monsoon was setting in. Other farmers were busy preparing their soil, purchasing seeds, fertilisers and others for Vanakalam sowing operations. District Manager (Civil Supplies) Medak, Hari Krishna said they had bought 2 lakh tonnes of paddy out of 4.20 lakh tonnes expected.

He said they had deposited Rs.324 crore in farmers’ accounts while Rs.127 crore was pending. The procurement is expected to be completed soon, he added. EOM district are a worried lot with continuous rains soaking the paddy brought to procurement centres.

As procurement is being delayed by the official machinery due to various reasons, the wet paddy has started sprouting as well.

The district has been witnessing continuous rains for the last four days, leaving the farmers worried. The farmers were waiting for nearly one month for their produce to be procured at several places.

Paddy at procurement centres in Narsapur, Shivvampet, Chilipiched, Manoharabad, Chinna Shankarampet and several other mandals were damaged due to untimely rains.

Out of 393 procurement centres opened in Medak district alone, 321 procurement centres are still as procurement is yet to be completed.

Officials of Sanagreddy and Siddipet could not be reached to get procurement statistics. However, procurement is still underway in several places.

A farmer from Narsapur in Medak district, Hanumantha Reddy, said they were waiting at procurement centres for several days as officials were delaying citing a lack of ‘hamalis’, gunny bags and trucks and other reasons. Reddy said they were forced to stay at the procurement centres though the southwest monsoon was setting in.

Other farmers were busy preparing their soil, purchasing seeds, fertilisers and others for Vanakalam sowing operations. District Manager (Civil Supplies) Medak, Hari Krishna said they had bought 2 lakh tonnes of paddy out of 4.20 lakh tonnes expected.

He said they had deposited Rs.324 crore in farmers’ accounts while Rs.127 crore was pending. The procurement is expected to be completed soon, he added.