The tardy pace of procurement of paddy cultivated in the additional (second) crop season has put farmers in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha in distress.
According to farmers, around 1,500 tonnes of harvested paddy is awaiting procurement. Despite the threat of rain, farmers have been forced to keep the harvested paddy in polders or in open space due to a lack of proper storage facilities.
The delay in procurement has been caused after mills decided not to purchase paddy in protest against the government’s apathy towards various issues raised by them. As of Saturday, only two rice millers are taking part in the procurement process in Alappuzha. In the 2021 additional crop season, 30 mills participated in the process.
The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) has procured less than 1,200 tonnes so far from farmers in the district in the current season. The procurement issue is likely to get worse in the coming days when more fields go under combine harvesters.
"Harvest has just begun and we have so far been able to procure harvested paddy without major hiccups. But more fields including some large ones are ready to go under combine harvesters in the coming days. The procurement will be affected badly if mills continue to boycott the process," said an official.
Farmers, who are upset over the slow start to procurement, have demanded an immediate end to the impasse. Farmers have undertaken paddy farming on around 9,700 hectares in the additional crop season in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. Supplyco, through mills, is expected to procure more than 40,000 tonnes of paddy from the district in the additional crop season from Alappuzha.
