The State Government has decided to close the mandis meant for paddy procurement two months before the scheduled time. Meanwhile thousands of quintals of paddy is lying there with the farmers who are requesting the Government to purchase their produce. This would lead to distress sale of paddy and, ultimately, to farmers' suicide.

This was stated by PCC president Niranjan Patnaik in a Press release on Sunday. He said the Government had decided to procure 55 lakh tonnes of paddy of 2018-19 kharif season starting in November and ending on April 30. But this year till date, around 50 lakh tonnes has been procured as per Government sources, which is yet to be ascertained. However, the Government has decided to close the mandis by end of February, two months prior to the schedule.

Patnaik alleged that neither the Central Government hiked the paddy MSP nor the State Government hiked bonus. Farmers are selling paddy at Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,600 per quintal. In neighbouring Chhattisgarh, the price has been fixed at Rs 2,500. Now by shutting down the mandis, the Naveen Patnaik Government is forcing farmers for distress sale and suicide, for which it would be solely responsible.

The PCC chief demanded that the Government purchase all the paddy stacked in the mandis or else the Congress would take to the streets in support of farmers.

When a Congress Government is formed in the State, farmers would smile again, he said. “As mentioned in our guarantee card to the farmers of Odisha, the Congress will increase the MSP of paddy to Rs 2,600, waive off farm loans and provide solar pumps for irrigation and financial assistance to farmers for five years,” he added.