Bargarh farmers demand rabi paddy procurement to be advanced to May 1

DAYS after Bargarh district administration announced uniform rabi paddy procurement from May 14, farmers have raised strong objections, demanding the date be advanced to May 1.

- MAYANK BHUSAN PANI @ Sambalpur

A delegation of farmers under Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan met collector Aditya Goyal on Saturday and submitted that procurement guidelines mandate process begin from May 1 and continue up to June 30. The administration's decision to push the starting date to the second week of May would only harm the farmers, the delegation said.

In the district level procurement committee (DLPC) meeting on Wednesday, the administration finalised the procurement modalities. However, absence of farmers' representation in the meeting sparked widespread discontent culminating in a protest under the banner of Jay Kisan Andolan outside the collector's office.