Millers purchase paddy at Rs 1,100 below MSP; state urged to purchase fresh paddy

KAKINADA: When the season of paddy harvesting has started in upland areas, the farmers are facing difficulties in selling the produce to rice millers. Apart from the harvesting problems, the millers are ready to pay only up to Rs 1,100 per bag of 75 kilo paddy as on Tuesday. This, farmers say, is lower than the MSP of Rs 1,455.

The government has announced an MSP of Rs 1,940 for common variety of paddy per quintal and Rs 1,970 for the A Grade’ variety with a permitted 17 per cent moisture content. But, farmers are selling the paddy soon after harvesting without drying it. The moisture content is high.

Farmers say most agriculturists have gone for mechanized harvesting instead of manual harvesting due to labour scarcity. There is no ground or warehouse to dry their crop. In mechanised harvesting, there is more moisture content and the produce will not meet the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) requirement. The government will however permit only 17 per cent moisture content.

Farmers in Gandepalli mandal of East Godavari district staged an agitation and blocked the National Highway for some time on Tuesday, pleading that the government purchase paddy directly from the field. The officials and rice millers have agreed to this, but with conditions.

“The rice millers should purchase the paddy at MSP or by paying more, but should not purchase paddy at rates below MSP. However, they can increase the volume of the paddy as per the moisture content,’’ said joint collector Lakshmisha. This means farmers should give more than 75 kilos of paddy at the MSP rate set for 75 kilos.

“Farmers could get Rs 1,200 per 75 kilo of paddy from rice miller before we made the demand for purchase of fresh paddy. After the agitation, the rice millers reduced their rate to Rs 1,100 per 75 kilo. However, farmers are getting ready to sell their crop based on what the rice miller gives them,’’ said farmer Venkanna Dora of Murari village.

He said the paddy crop is ready for harvest, but the government has not opened purchasing centres (PPCs). He urged the government to open these and start purchasing paddy without creating hurdles like citing the issue of moisture content.

State rice millers’ association president Dwarampudi Reddy said rice millers would purchase paddy at prescribed MSP with permissible moisture content. The government is not allowing above-average moisture content. The association requested the rice millers to purchase paddy at rates above MSP.

He said the rice millers have agreed for purchase of paddy at MSP, though there existed a higher volume of moisture. To compensate for this, farmer should give additional quantity of paddy to the rice miller. The cabinet sub-committee will take a decision on this on Wednesday, he said.