Kakinada: Failure to upload data at RBKs irks farmers

Kakinada: Farmers are expressing anguish over the non-availability of data through online at Rythu Bharosa Kendrams in Kakinada district. They got stranded with gunny bags filled with paddy grains as they are unable to handover them at RBK centres as their data is not uploaded. The farmers are worried as they can't keep paddy for a long time particularly with the impending threat of rains.

A farmer said that he brought the yield to a RBK, but the mobile App is not working, delaying the process. Stating that they are facing hardship to sell paddy, he expressed concern over the predictions about rains.

Another farmer lamented that since they are making rounds to RBKs and rice mills, transport and overhead charges have gone up. He questioned as to who will bear these additional expenses, expressing angry over the indifference of agriculture department officials.

The farmers have expressed their helplessness over non-availability of their data online and the subsequent refusal of the officials at RBKs. Farmers lamented that they cannot take back the yield to their places due to high amount of transport and hamali charges and also afraid of getting the yield soaked due to impending rains.

Another problem the farmers facing is that the RBK officials are counting only up to 34 paddy grain bags and refusing to take 40 bags even though some farmers have brought 40 paddy bags per acre.

Also, another issue that is bothering the farmers is that the officials are accepting bags brought by a tractor only and not those brought on a bullock cart. Farmers said that they have to use bullock carts only in Gollaprolu, Chebrolu, Karapa and other areas instead of tractors due to bad condition of roads. They expressed ire for non-payment of transport charges if they use bullock carts.

Recently, farmers staged a protest as their data was not uploaded online at RBKs and for not taking paddy procurement, at Duvva village of Tanuku mandal in West Godavari district and

Anparthi village in East Godavari district. They also demanded free supply of gunny bags. They demanded to know why their data is not uploaded.

Speaking with The Hans India, District Agriculture Officer N Vijay Kumar said that procurement process is made in a systematic manner without causing any difficulty to farmers. He informed that the problems arising due to online process were solved. He said they will accept 34 bags per acre as the software doesn't permit more than 34 bags per acre and suggested the farmers that they can sell them by direct sale to private parties if they are left with extra bags.

Vijay Kumar stated that only 30 bags per acre have been harvested and there is no additional yield of bags per acre in the district. However, the matter of accepting 40 bags per acre has been brought to the notice of District Collector Krithika Shukla for procurement, he informed and added that they would comply with farmers' request after receiving a reply from the government. He said the matter pertaining to transport of paddy grain through bullock carts also brought to the Collector's notice and necessary action would be taken after receiving a positive reply from the government. He said that the issue is confined to three places - Gollaprolu, Chebrolu and Karapa villages.

Vijay Kumar assured farmers that paddy procurement would be done through RBKs soon and advised them not to get worried and agitated. He also advised them not to interact with the middlemen. District Joint Collector S Ilakkia said that the process of paddy procurement undertaken through RBKs to provide support price to farmers is going on smoothly in the district and farmers are satisfied with the arrangements made by the government.