Damaged paddy crop procurement begins

SAKOLI, May 11: Though it took a while to get off the ground, the procurement of damaged paddy by the State Government has provided much-needed respite to paddy growers in the district driven to their wits8217; end by unseasonal rains and hailstorms.

In all, 5,000 quintals of damaged paddy were purchased by the government at collection centres in Sakoli, Saundad, Lakhini and Arjuni by April 30. The rains that hit the region between November 1997 and January 1998 caused extensive damage to the standing crop. The paddy turned out to be black in colour; its sale posing a major problem for the farmers. Adding to their woes, most private traders stopped purchasing paddy, forcing farmers to sell their crop at rates as low as Rs 250 to Rs 300 per quintal. The HMT variety of paddy normally yields Rs 600 to Rs 800 per quintal.

The issue came up for discussion in the State Legislature where Opposition members grilled the Government for turning a blind eye to the cultivators8217; woes. Agitations were launched by variouspolitical parties to highlight the problems. The government finally decided to purchase edible black paddy and accordingly directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department in December 1998.

The FCS Department, in turn, instructed sale-purchase societies, agriculture produce marketing committees APMCs, rice mills and some other cooperative societies to arrange to purchase the damaged paddy.