By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 16, 2023: Many farmers in Odisha are selling their produce to traders from outside the State at throwaway prices. The farmers are forced to sell paddy to the traders of the neighbouring state at less than Rs 1,500 per quintal as the procurement centers are yet to open. As per the government rate, the price of paddy per quintal has been fixed at Rs 2,183.

Though the harvest of paddy is over in Odisha, mandis are yet to open at several places in the State. Moreover, farmers don’t have confidence in the procurement system of the State government and transparency at mandis.Taking full advantage of the situation, traders from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are procuring thousands of quintals of paddy from Odisha farmers with the help of local brokers.

Farmers have been resorting to distress sale of paddy anticipating the worst. The crisis has augured well for traders from Andhra Pradesh, who are camping in villages in the State to buy paddy at throwaway prices

Farmers across the state have demanded that the procurement centres should be made functional soon to stop the distress sale.