ALAPPUZHA: The Kuttanad paddy farmers are relieved by the decision of 52 private mill owners to call off their strike and the government's announcement to procure harvested crops from Tuesday. Some 6.5 lakh tonnes of paddy from 11,000 hectares of paddyfield, produced as part of the second crop, is expected to be procured by the government. The mill owners were supposed to start procurement by September 22.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that the government would procure the harvested paddy at a price of Rs 21.5 per kg. The mill owners' demand to get Rs 190 as processing charge had been accepted. The government has appointed an expert committee consisting of the representatives of mill owners to look into their grievances. Kuttanad had a record harvesting season producing 42,647 tonnes from 10,500 hectares.
James Joseph, a farmer in R bock Padasekara Samithi, said they had put off the harvesting after getting intimation from the civil supplies department that their crops should be taken to the government mill in Kottayam as the strike was going on. The government decision was a great relief to the farmers, he said. Earlier, the previous government had declared that the mills' processing charge would be increased from Rs 148 to Rs 190. But it was not implemented due to the objection from the finance department. This had forced the mill owners to go on strike.
Fr Thomas Peelianickal, executive director, Kuttanad Development Authority, says the farmers who have produced double crops since 2014 are jittery due to the uncertainties of government decisions. They had produced at least 140 tonnes more of paddy in Kuttanad compared to last year. As many as 22, 000 farmers hope for timely procurement this season.
Joji Arupara , president, Irupathinaalaayiram Padasekhara Samithy, alleged that there was no coordination in procuring crops. In the past, the civil supplies department was handling the procurement properly. But in the last couple of years the system in the department was not up to the mark. In the past, the farmers had taken loans from banks at four percent interest. But now they are unwilling to provide loans due to the delay in payment, he added.
