Bumper paddy harvest grounds Surat farmers

The increase in paddy production this season helped by good monsoon has filled the godowns in various parts of the district with the produce and sent the prices tumbling. The farmers in the district are not getting remunerative prices for paddy.

Rough estimates have put the paddy production at 30 per cent more than that in the last year. This has resulted in the godowns overflowing with 12 lakh bags of paddy.

"With the high produce of paddy, the farmers are not getting remunerative prices and the godowns are overflowing," former state minister Bhagubhai Patel, also a paddy farmer in Olpaad taluka, said.

Among the 15 talukas of Surat district, Olpaad has registered the highest production of paddy. Over 70 per cent of the paddy produced this year is of the 'Gujarat Kolam-17' variety.

With heavy to very heavy rainfall in Surat district during this year's monsoon, most of the farmers could not plant cotton and they turned to paddy. All the farmers had a rich harvest and as the commodity started arriving in the markets, prices declined, affecting the farmers.

Bhagubhai said in Olpaad taluka alone, more than seven lakh bags of paddy has been stockpiled in different co-operative societies. Last year, the paddy farmers received Rs 170 for a 'maun' (20 kgs). This year, the paddy traders are prepared to shell out just Rs 125 for 20 kg.

"However, the farmers are not ready to sell their produce at these rates as they cannot even cover their production cost," Bhagubhai said.

"Some traders are mixing good quality paddy with the poor quality commodity. The Gujarat government has to intervene and declare support prices in the interest of the farmers," Bhagubhai said.

While the government is yet to announce remunerative prices for paddy, the production cost has gone up by 30 per cent this year. "If the government does not intervene then we will be in trouble," a paddy farmer of Olpaad said. Paddy had claimed a major share in the sowing operations this year.

While sowing of paddy had taken place in 63,796 hectares in Surat district, jowar was sown in 23,359 hectares, tuver in 31,612 hectares and moong in 2,860 hectares, sources said.