Desperate farmers selling paddy for lower price as procurement appears uncertain
The Hindu
Kerala farmers desperate for govt. help as private rice mills offer low prices; Minister's comment adds insult to injury; govt. owes ₹540 crore to Kerala Bank and ₹2,500 crore to consortium of public sector banks; heavy rains add to farmers' woes.
Paddy farmers in the State are desperately turning to private rice mills for survival as uncertainties continued about the procurement of the paddy yielded in the first crop.
The government appears to be non-committal, and the farmers could read the government attitude in Minister for Fisheries and Youth Affairs Saji Cherian’s comment that nothing would affect Kerala as long as there is rice in Tamil Nadu.
“It is a big insult to the farmers, especially at a time when they are reeling under pressures of climate change and financial instability. Instead of trying to help and console the farmers, the Minister was adding insult to injury,” said Muthalamthodu Mani, general secretary of the Desiya Karshaka Samajam (DKS).
About 20% of the farmers have sold their paddy to private rice mills for a much lower price than what they would have got through government procurement. If the government procures the paddy, the farmers will get ₹28.20 a kg. However, because of uncertainties about procurement, hundreds of farmers sold their paddy directly to private rice mills for as low a price as ₹18 a kg.
“They have virtually no choice. The weather is not favourable for the farmers. The government does not say when and how it will procure the paddy. Banks are reluctant to offer loans for procurement, especially as there are heavy arrears from the previous seasons,” said Mr. Mani.
The government has nearly cleared the dues it owed to the farmers for the second crop paddy procured more than seven months ago. According to government officials, only about ₹20 crore remained to be paid.
The government is yet to decide on how to go about procuring the first crop paddy even as a vast majority of farmers are keenly awaiting the government move. The government owes ₹540 crore to the Kerala Bank and about ₹2,500 crore to a consortium of public sector banks.
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