Farmers fret as govt. delays in opening PPCs

Discussions between the state government and rice miller associations have led to a stalemate in transactions, resulting in paddy bags piling up in open areas within villages. Though harvesting was completed 15 days ago in several parts of the district, procurement has yet to commence.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Hanumandlu, a farmer from Kalur village in Nizamabad Rural Mandal, expressed his frustrations, saying, “We are facing difficulties in disposing of our paddy. Due to frequent rains, the produce has a high moisture content.” He added, “Saplings have grown from the paddy piled up in open areas. We were forced to pay additional amounts for labor to protect our paddy from bad weather and thieves.”

Meanwhile, private traders have rushed to villages to purchase paddy at low prices, offering between Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,200 per quintal. Hoping for the Rs 500 bonus declared by the state government, many farmers are hesitant to sell, waiting instead for better prices.

Pushpa, a woman farmer, shared her predicament: “We spent Rs 1.30 lakh on paddy cultivation. As per the government’s suggestion, we cultivated a fine variety of the crop, but no one is coming forward to purchase it.”

In total, paddy was cultivated on 4.29 lakh acres in Nizamabad district. In the Varni area, private traders have begun purchasing paddy from farmers. Additionally, traders from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and other districts in Telangana have reached Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts, offering instant cash for paddy purchases.

Farmers find themselves in a dilemma, unsure whether to sell their paddy at the low prices offered by private traders or hold out in hopes of receiving the promised bonus amount.