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GCC fails to procure produce in Agency
Girijana Cooperative Corporation (GCC) failure in providing reasonable price to produce in the Agency has become a boon to traders and middlemen as they are offering lesser price and exploiting the innocent tribals. GCC branch office was started in Sitampeta Agency in 1956 and it was upgraded into division office in 1992 with an aim to distribute essential goods to tribals at subsidy price, provid
Srikakulam: Girijana Cooperative Corporation (GCC) failure in providing reasonable price to produce in the Agency has become a boon to traders and middlemen as they are offering lesser price and exploiting the innocent tribals. GCC branch office was started in Sitampeta Agency in 1956 and it was upgraded into division office in 1992 with an aim to distribute essential goods to tribals at subsidy price, providing crop loans, procuring produce by giving reasonable price to save innocent tribals from exploitation, but except distribution of essential goods at subsidy price, GCC failed to provide other facilities.
‘Tribals are cultivating custard apple, cashew nuts, tamarind, mango, pineapple, ginger, banana, turmeric, maize and various pulses every year in Sitampeta, Bhamini, Kotturu, Veeragattam, Palakonda, Mandasa and other mandals in the Agency area.
As a result of GCC’s inactive role in procuring these produce, tribals are unable to get reasonable price.
For the past six years, GCC did not procure produce from Agency as per target fixed in 2011-12, the target was to procure Rs 50 lakh worth produce, but GCC purchased only Rs 27 lakh worth produce. In 2013-14, target was fixed to purchase Rs 40 lakh worth produce, but it procured only Rs 17 lakh worth produce. In 2014-15, the target was Rs 64 lakh, but it procured produce worth Rs 25 lakh, in 2016 -17, target was set to purchase Rs 50 lakh worth produce, but it procured only Rs 10 lakh worth produce till date.
“GCC is not procuring our produce and it purchased some produce nominally as a result, we are forced to sell our produce at low price like tamarind for Rs 30, turmeric for Rs 90 and cashewnuts for Rs 140 per kg, which is less than open market,” explained Girijana Rythu Sahakara Sangham member Savarathota Mukhalingam. “
GCC is not procuring tamarind, ginger and turmeric from us as a result we have to sell our produce to traders,” said Konada Kurma Rao, Savara Kamesh and Savara Kurma Rao, farmers of K Gummada and Kothaguda hamlets “We are procuring Agency produce only to a limited extent as per the directive of higher officials,” said GCC Sitampeta divisional office manager P Madhu.
By Chowdari Lakshmana Rao
