Nellore: Farmers’ associations have appealed to the government to probe into the irregularities in procurement of paddy from the farmers and arrange a meeting with the rice millers, farmers and officials concerned.
They have also demanded payment to the paddy procured already and stop importing rice from other states.
In a letter submitted to the commissioner, civil supplies department of AP, on Monday, coordination committee for Federation of Farmers Association said that paddy was raised only in a limited extent in Godavari districts, Vizianagaram, Krishna and Nellore districts due to drought conditions during Rabi.
“Though the quality of the paddy was good, the paddy procurement centres opened by the government failed to procure the crop to the extent anticipated. Rice millers and their agents are responsible for the imbroglio. Several irregularities came to our notice when our team visited West Godavari, Nellore, Vizianagaram and Krishna districts recently,” members of the committee said, reiterating that they have already taken certain issues to the notice of the commissioner.
The committee also alleged that the millers have purchased paddy for anything between Rs 100 and Rs 200, which was less the market rate, taking advantage of farmers dependence on the millers for gunny bags and other factors.
They said that farmers have disposed the harvested paddy for much less than market price because of unseasonal rains and cyclone warnings.
The committee members urged the Commissioner of the civil supplies wing to look into all their complaints and do justice to the farming community at the earliest.
