Farmers lock mandi office over delayed procurement

BARGARH: Mounting frustration over sluggish paddy procurement triggered a protest by farmers in Attabira block where a group of farmers’ on Saturday locked the gate of the mandi office and dumped bags of their unsold harvest to restrict entry into the premises.

The agitators alleged that despite bringing their paddy to procurement centres for days, designated agencies have failed to lift the stock leading to an alarming build-up. The produce has been lying in the open unattended and is prone to damage due to unpredictable weather conditions in the region. No steps have been taken to address this situation, they said.

“The mandi opened on May 14 but we have been waiting ever since for our paddy to be lifted. This is nothing but a tactic by the rice millers to pressure us into accepting deductions of a few kilograms per bag. If the pending paddy stocks are not lifted soon, we will be forced to intensify our protest further,” said protesting farmer Arun Pradhan.