Farmers in Jharkhand are encountering hardships due to the government’s delayed purchase of paddy. The paddy procurement centers are not operating efficiently, leaving farmers unable to receive the minimum support price for their crops. Allegations from farmers suggest that the government is not prioritizing paddy procurement, neglecting their challenging circumstances.
Originally scheduled to commence on November 15
the paddy procurement faced a one-month delay due to various reasons. Despite a government target of acquiring 30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from 4.5 lakh farmers, only 2.5 lakh metric tonnes have been procured from 1.5 lakh farmers thus far. Farmers contend that procurement centers are frequently closed or lack essential staff and facilities. Additionally, they claim they are being compelled to sell their paddy at suboptimal rates to private traders or intermediaries.
Opposition parties have censured the government for its inability to ensure timely and equitable paddy procurement. They accuse the government of displaying insensitivity and apathy toward the farmers’ predicaments. The opposition is demanding immediate government intervention to address the challenges in paddy procurement. Furthermore, they call on the government to raise the minimum support price for paddy and provide sufficient compensation to farmers for their incurred losses.
