Odisha Paddy Procurement Crisis: Naveen Patnaik Accuses Govt of Betraying Farmers

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Farmers allegedly losing 5–7 kg per quintal due to katni-chhatni during procurement.
Patnaik demands removal of subsidy cap and faster DBT payments.
Growing farmer protests reported across Odisha over mandi mismanagement.

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha paddy procurement crisis has taken center stage during the ongoing kharif season, with senior BJD leader Naveen Patnaik sharply criticising the state government over what he described as widespread exploitation of farmers. Raising serious concerns, Patnaik alleged that agricultural mandis across the state have turned into hubs of distress due to administrative negligence and unfulfilled political assurances.

According to Patnaik, farmers entering mandis with hope of fair returns are instead facing systemic failures that have eroded trust in the procurement process and intensified unrest in rural areas.

Odisha Paddy Procurement Crisis Exposes Broken MSP Promises

Patnaik reminded the government that the ruling BJP’s 2024 manifesto had assured higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy and an end to arbitrary deductions during procurement. However, he claimed ground realities tell a different story, with farmers continuing to suffer from “katni-chhatni.”

Under this practice, cultivators reportedly lose between 5 and 7 kilograms per quintal of paddy on various pretexts. Patnaik accused millers and procurement officials of acting in collusion, systematically depriving farmers of their rightful income despite official MSP rates.

Subsidy Cap Sparks Anger Among Farmers

Another major point of contention highlighted by Patnaik was the government’s decision to cap input subsidy at 150 quintals per farmer. He termed the move a direct betrayal of manifesto commitments and argued that subsidy benefits should extend to the entire produce sold by farmers.

He also pointed out that although the Union government recently increased MSP by Rs 69 per quintal, farmers in Odisha are yet to receive the revised benefit. This delay, he said, has further compounded the financial strain on cultivators already grappling with rising input costs.

Mandi Mismanagement Forces Distress Sales

Patnaik painted a grim picture of conditions inside mandis, alleging severe mismanagement during the kharif procurement drive. Farmers are reportedly forced to stay overnight to guard their produce from theft, damage, and rain due to inadequate storage and delayed lifting.

Token distribution failures and prolonged delays in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments have left farmers cash-strapped, pushing many to sell paddy at prices below MSP. Such distress sales, Patnaik warned, are undoing the very purpose of the procurement mechanism.

Urgent Demands as Farmer Protests Intensify

Amid growing protests across the state, Patnaik urged the government to take immediate corrective steps. His demands include deploying special squads in mandis to end katni-chhatni practices, withdrawing the 150-quintal subsidy ceiling, ensuring DBT payments within 48 hours, and lifting all procured paddy within 72 hours.

He cautioned that continued inaction could further escalate farmer agitation across Odisha, turning procurement failures into a larger agrarian crisis with serious political and social consequences.