Telangana: Exploitation of paddy farmers to be checked

Hyderabad: Plugging gaps in its paddy procurement that were being exploited by traders and farmers from neighbouring States, the State government has come up with a new mechanism where paddy will be procured only from farmers who cultivated it during the current Vaanakalam (Kharif) season. Officials have already collected crop information as per Survey numbers […]

Hyderabad: Plugging gaps in its paddy procurement that were being exploited by traders and farmers from neighbouring States, the State government has come up with a new mechanism where paddy will be procured only from farmers who cultivated it during the current Vaanakalam (Kharif) season.

Officials have already collected crop information as per Survey numbers in the State and accordingly, paddy will be procured from farmers.

Paddy has been cultivated in around 65 lakh acres in Telangana during this Vaanakalam season, which is estimated to result in production of about 1.41 crore tonnes. While more than 41 lakh tonnes was expected to be either sold in open market or used for seed production, the State government is expecting about one crore tonnes paddy to be sold at the paddy procurement centres.

However, the officials observed that some traders were purchasing paddy from gullible farmers for lesser prices and selling the same produce at the procurement centres for Minimum Support Price (MSP) offered by the State government. Further, some traders and farmers from neighbouring States, especially Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, were smuggling paddy into the State despite strict vigil at the checkposts and selling their produce for profits.

“Though these malpractices were happening on a minor scale, they were showing an impact on overall estimations of paddy procurement. Thus, genuine farmers were unable to get benefit from the MSP offered by the State government,” an official of the Civil Supplies department told Telangana Today.

Following this, the Civil Supplies department joined hands with the Agriculture Department and collected data pertaining to crop cultivation. Unlike earlier where farmer-wise crop sowing information was procured, the Agricultural Extension Officers (AEOs) conducted cluster-wise (5,000 acre each) study and collected information on extent of crops being cultivated in each survey number. The same data was digitalised and shared with the Civil Supplies department.

During Vaanakalam season, the average paddy yield is around 20-22 quintals per acre. Accordingly, the officials will prepare rough estimation of paddy yield as per its variety.

“As per the survey number, farmers will be issued tokens to bring their produce to the procurement centres. Paddy will be procured from farmers as per our preliminary estimations (with minor variation),” a senior official in the Agriculture department explained.

Apart from refusing to procure paddy brought by individuals who do not have agricultural land or did not cultivate paddy, the government is planning action against such persons.