Farmers block road to press their demand for paddy procurement

CH NEWS

INDRESH

DAVANAGERE

In a strong show of dissent against the delay in the government's paddy procurement process, farmers under the banner of the District Farmers’ Federation staged a massive protest in   on Saturday. The agitation took place on PB Road, where farmers disrupted vehicular movement and formed a human chain to demand swift action from the district administration.

The protestors, expressing their anger against the  state  government, scattered paddy on the road and demanded the immediate commencement of registration and procurement activities at designated centres.

The paddy harvest has already begun in the district. In the open market, prices have dropped to Rs 1,900–Rs 1,950 per quintal, far below the expected rates. This decline is causing severe financial losses to farmers, said one of the protest leaders.

The farmers insisted that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement process must begin without further delay. They urged the government to ensure procurement at the fixed MSP of Rs 2,320 per quintal, along with an additional state incentive of Rs 500, bringing the total to Rs 2,820 per quintal.

The protesters also criticized the delay in implementation despite the District Task Force Committee’s meeting held on April 15.

  District Joint Director of Agriculture B Srinivas Chintal told city high lights that no farmer has come forward to register names to avail MSP though portal open for registration till April 30.

The district producing around ten lakh tonnes of paddy  from 65,000  hectares of paddy fields in district which they grow two crops.

District Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies B Siddarama told CH that the Deputy Commissioner has sent a proposal to state government requesting to open portal for registration. The portal would be open for farmer’s registration till end of month, he added.