Farmers stare at losses as purchase centers yet to open

Nalgonda: As the government is delaying the opening of purchase centers for the Yasangi (Rabi) grain purchase process, the hardships and losses of the farmers are increasing.

Farmers are expressing their impatience that the officials who said that grain purchase centers will be opened in the month of April in the joint Nalgonda district, are hesitating to take the necessary steps so far.

Officials have estimated that the erstwhile Nalgonda district will yield about 30.97 lakh metric tonnes of grain in the current Yasangi, of which up to 20 lakh metric tonnes is thick paddy grain and 10.97 lakh metric tonnes is thin grain. It has been decided to set up 848 purchasing centers in the combined district.

It is estimated that out of 13 lakh metric tons of Nalgonda district, eight lakh metric tons of thick type and five lakh tons of thin type of grain will come to the market. Officials have announced that 121 IKP centers and 150 PACS centers will be set up for the purchase of paddy grain. Out of 271 purchasing centers, not a single one has been opened so far.

In Suryapet district, 170 IKP and 106 PACS centers will be set up for the purchase of thick type grain with an estimate of seven lakh metric tons of Thick type and 5 lakh tons of Thin type grain.

It was decided to set up 78 IKPs, 250 PACS and four marketing department buying centers for the purchase of Thick type grain in Yadadri Bhongir district after estimating the yield of five lakh tons of thick type and 79 thousand tons of thin type grain. Officials said that they will prepare two crore Gunny bags, tarpaulins, humidity detectors and electronic sensors. So far, not a single purchase center has been opened anywhere in the Erstwhile Nalgonda district.