BHUBANESWAR: President of Biju Krushak Janata Dal Golak Bihari Nayak has blamed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for distress sale of Kharif paddy in different districts of the State. The farmers are being forced to sale the paddy at a price lower than the minimum support price (MSP) due to non-cooperation of the FCI and the Food Ministry due to the faulty procurement policy of the Central Government, said Nayak here on Sunday in a Press release.
Nayak alleged that the FCI is not procuring the surplus paddy in the State as it is doing in the other states like Punjab, Hariyana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Shortage of space is another reason for which FCI does not purchase more paddies from Odisha State. Since FCI is the major procurer of food grain in the country, it should construct more number of godowns in the State for storing the food grains, he added.
However, Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik has announced to procure 28 lakh MT paddy from the farmers of the State giving them MSP in order to stop the distress sale of paddy. The general paddy is being purchased at Rs 1080 per quintal and Grade-A paddy at Rs 1100 per quintal. The agencies like Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation, Mark Fed, Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies, Pani Panchayat and Women Self-help Groups are purchasing the paddy. The purchase agencies are bearing the cost of paddy transportation. During collection period if any body will do black marketing will be severely punished, said Nayak.'
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