It is revealed that there is a serious lack of storage facilities in mandis set up by cooperative societies for procured paddy in Ganjam district in Odisha.
Sources say most of cooperative societies have no offices or godowns of their own and their offices are functioning from rented houses.
Beguniapada block has 21 cooperative societies, of which 14 are under Berhampur central cooperative bank (CCB) and 7 are under Aska CCB. Under Berhampur CCB, the cooperative societies at Mardhakote, Chingudikhol, Tirida, Sradhapur, Lachipur, Talasara and Angaragaon do not have their own offices or godowns.
The buildings of the societies at Beguniapada, S Chachina, Unjabala, Burujhuri, K Barida and Sandhamula are in dilapidated conditions.
Similarly, the cooperative societies at Kodola, Kalimekhi and K Ranipada do not have storage facilities, while the houses at Belapada, Jagannathpur, Fasi and Mathasarasing remained almost abandoned.
Given the appalling conditions of the cooperative societies, paddy procurement has been greatly affected.
Cooperative officials said the failure of the cooperative societies to provide adequate storage facilities for farmers’ produce is a serious matter.
A source claimed, so far 1.03 lakh farmers have registered their names to sell their produce.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the paddy procurement in Jeypore in Odisha is yet to pick up speed. This is being blamed on a dispute between farmers and millers over the quality of paddy.