Sudden rains causing huge damage to paddy produce
KARIMNAGAR, OCTOBER 18, 2024: Former Choppadandi legislator and BRS leader Sunke Ravishankar has alleged the farmers were forced to resort to distress sale of their paddy produce to rice millers as the government has not opened adequate procurement centres in the district.
The former legislator various villages and interacted with the farmers in Choppadandi cosntituency on Friday. He said that the rice millers were procuring the paddy by providing Rs 1600 to Rs 2,000 per quintal against the minimum support price of Rs 2320 per quintal. With the sudden downpour and thunderstorms, the farmers were forced to sell the produce to rice millers as they were unable to dry the crop due to rains. Taking advantage of this situation, the rice millers were deducting four to five kgs per bag and causing huge loss to farmers, he stated.
He said that the farmers were procuring their produce to the marketyards but the marketing authorities have failed to provide adequate tarpaulins to protect the produce from rains. He also demanded the government to fulfill the promise of providing Rs 500 per quintal for all varieties of paddy. Demanding the government to open procurement centres and procure the paddy by providing MSP and Rs 500 bonus per quintal, he threatened to launch agitations with the farmers.
