Siddipet farmers complain of delayed paddy procurement

The farmers complained to former Minister T Harish Rao who visited a procurement centre at Pedda Koduru village on Sunday to know their issues.

Siddipet: Farmers, who brought paddy to procurement centres in Siddipet district, have complained that the paddy was not being purchased though it was brought a fortnight ago.

The farmers complained to former Minister T Harish Rao who visited a procurement centre at Pedda Koduru village on Sunday to know their issues. A woman farmer Rangavva said they were waiting for the last 15 days with their harvest at the procurement centre. She said they were finding it difficult to protect the harvest as the area was witnessing rains.

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Another farmer Narayana Swamy said this kind of delay was not witnessed in previous years, especially when farmers faced the threat of paddy being damaged in rains.

Comforting the farmers, Harish Rao spoke to the Civil Supplies District Manager and asked him to speed up the procurement explaining the struggles of farmers. He also called the Additional Collector and RDO to share the woes of the farmers. Earlier, Harish Rao asked the farmers not to sell their produce for less than the MSP of Rs.2,203 and assured them that the BRS would pressurise the government to purchase the paddy at MSP.

Stating that the Congress government had brought back misery for farmers, Harish Rao said pump sets at borewells were burning out due to volatile power supply. A farmer Mohan Reddy said his pump set was burned out twice. As if this was not enough, he had not got his Rythu Bandhu assistance either this year.