Supplyco, which procured 19,541.30 tonnes of paddy so far from the district, owes around ₹29 crore to some 3,300 farmers
Supplyco, which procured 19,541.30 tonnes of paddy so far from the district, owes around ₹29 crore to some 3,300 farmers
Paddy farmers in Alappuzha are a concerned lot as the Kerala State State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) is yet to begin the disbursal of procurement price for the additional (second) crop season.
Supplyco, which procured 19,541.30 tonnes of paddy so far from the district, owes around ₹29 crore to some 3,300 farmers. Officials of Supplyco say they hope to begin disbursing the procurement price of paddy in two days. “After the government fixed the procurement price, we have written to the head office for releasing the amount. As things stand, farmers will start getting their dues from Thursday or Friday,” said a Supplyco official.
The government recently fixed the procurement price of paddy at ₹28.20 per kg. Farmers will also get another 12 paise per kg as loading charges.
In the previous seasons, farmers received the procurement amount from banks as post-harvest credit on production of the paddy receipt sheet (PRS) issued by millers. The amount disbursed to farmers by banks under the PRS loan scheme was then repaid by the government. This season, however, the procurement price is provided directly to the farmers instead of making payments under the PRS scheme.
The delay in payments comes right after the procurement was hit for several weeks after mills suspended taking paddy in protest against the government’s apathy towards issues raised by them. The impasse ended after the government reached a settlement with millers on October 20.
According to Supplyco, the farmers have undertaken paddy farming on 9,581.56 hectares in the additional crop season in the district, a significant portion of which is in Kuttanad. Harvest has been completed on 5,309 hectares. Besides the 19,541 tonnes already procured, some 1,500 tonnes of harvested paddy is lying in fields awaiting procurement. As many as 31 mills are taking part in the procurement process in the district.
