Deadline for registration of farmers extended by a week

Bhubaneswar: The government on Tuesday extended the deadline by a week for farmers to register themselves to sell paddy during the kharif season.
Farmers can register their names at the primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) till September 17.
Tuesday was the last date for registration of farmers for the government’s paddy procurement process. “Since many farmers are yet to register themselves, we have extended the deadline by a week. Officials have been asked to act accordingly,” state food supplies and consumer welfare minister, Ranendra Pratap Swain, said.
Official reports said more than 10 lakh farmers have so far registered themselves with 2,708 PACS and large area multipurpose cooperative societies (in tribal areas).
Last fiscal more than 12.5 lakh farmers had registered themselves to sell paddy in various mandis, with the agencies procuring around 65 lakh metric tonne (MT) of paddy against the target of 55 lakh MT.
The Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (OSCSC), under the state food supplies and consumer welfare department, procures surplus paddy from farmers through various PACS. In some districts the government has also engaged pani panchayat units and women self-help groups (SHG) to procure paddy from farmers.
Though the state government is yet to set any procurement target for the current financial year, sources said the food and procurement policy for 2019-20 will soon be placed before the cabinet for approval.
Paddy procurement for kharif season generally starts from November 1 and continues till April while procurement for Rabi crops (in 18 districts) starts from May 1.
Odisha procures paddy of around Rs 8,000 crore annually.
To facilitate smooth procurement, the government has opened over 3000 mandis across the state. By selling paddy at the mandis, the farmers get the minimum support price set by the state government.
The paddy procurement automation system (P-PAS), an electronic platform through which money is directly transferred to accounts of farmers, has also been introduced in 314 blocks.
Opposition leader Santosh Singh Saluja, meanwhile, criticised the government for gross mismanagement in mandis and alleged that farmers have to wait for months to get their dues.
EoM