Despite govt’s assurance, farmers face problems in selling paddy

Despite directives from the State government instructing officials to procure paddy grains without considering moisture percentage, compliance with these orders has been lacking. Consequently, farmers in the combined Krishna district are grappling with substantial losses due to the impact of Cyclone Michaung.
Approximately 2.50 lakh hectares of paddy was cultivated during the Kharif season in the combined Krishna region, comprising Krishna and NTR districts. The Agricultural department anticipated a yield of 12 lakh metric tons of paddy for this ayacut. However, the projected production is expected to decrease due to the effects of Cyclone Michaung, authorities report.
While the prescribed moisture content for purchasing paddy is 17%, the government, considering the aftermath of the Michaung cyclone, has decided to procure even higher moisture content. Unfortunately, these directives have not been implemented at the Dr YSR Rythu Bharosa Kendras, and rice millers in the Krishna and NTR districts are refusing wet paddy. Consequently, farmers are experiencing delays of a week to ten days in selling their paddy grains.
Naveen, a young farmer from Nunna, expressed concern as authorities rejected his paddy with 23% moisture. Despite harvesting his crop a week ago, the agriculture department has yet to make the purchase, causing significant challenges in drying the paddy grains over the past seven days.
Veeraiah, another farmer from Ramachandrapalem in the Gannavaram mandal of the Krishna district, alleged that agriculture department officials have neglected to purchase paddy, making it difficult for farmers to dry their yields. He added that many fields are submerged in rainwater, leaving no space for drying the paddy grains.
Meanwhile, young farmer Madu Sivaramaiah claimed that the state government has not supplied tarpaulin pattas for several years, causing difficulties in protecting paddy grains. Despite the shortage of pattas, the government has not addressed the issue, he lamented.
Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Karumuri Nageswara Rao, on the other hand, has directed officials to procure paddy grains without considering moisture levels in light of the Michaung cyclone. He urged rice millers to buy paddy grains from farmers without imposing restrictions. To date, 1.07 lakh metric tons of paddy have been purchased offline, with Rs. 800 crores credited to farmers’ bank accounts out of the total Rs. 1,140 crore allocated, he disclosed. Emphasising the importance of procuring paddy even with moisture exceeding 20%, the minister underscored the government’s commitment to supporting farmers during this challenging period.