ALLEPPEY: It is alleged that the farmer who produced more than 2200 kg of paddy did not get the price due to the dispute between the Agriculture Department and Supplyco.

Officials of the agriculture department said that the maximum yield from one acre is 3000 kg and if the production limit on the Supplyco website is raised from 2200 to 3000, they can remove the barrier of payment. Paddy Officers under Supplyco said that they can prepare the payment list only after getting the certificate of Agriculture Officers. The farmers who gave paddy are struggling helplessly in this crisis. The government is acting like they are not aware of this.

With this, the distribution of paddy prices has become a crisis like never before. The Padasekara committee and the farmers went to the agriculture offices yesterday for the certificate. The officials dismissed them by replying that there was no instruction from the government or the agriculture department. More than 700 farmers who have given more than 2200 kg of paddy are in crisis. Kerala Kaumudi had reported this the other day. Agriculture Minister P Prasad revealed that there is no need to worry about the procurement and Supplyco will procure all the rice to solve the problems of paddy farmers in the meeting led by the minister at the Alappuzha Collectorate. Still, the problem was not solved.
The District Principal Agriculture Officer, who is responsible for taking action, has been on leave for two weeks. The Deputy Director is temporarily in charge.

The farmer is struggling with a lack of money for fertilizers and pesticides for paddy cultivation. Prasad committed suicide in Thakazhi because he had no money to pay for Punjakrishi. The act of delaying the price of stored paddy is torture to the farmers.
-Raj Mohan,
Paddy farmer