The Odisha Assembly today witnessed repeated adjournments over alleged distress sale of potato as the state government failed to procure the tuber from local farmers.
The issue was raised by members of both treasury bench and the opposition who urged Speaker Niranjan Pujari to issue a direction to the government to protect farmers' interests.
Raising the issue, BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain claimed that though the state government had announced Rs 6 per kg as minimum support price (MSP) for potato, farmers are opting for distress sale at Rs 3 to Rs 4 per kg.
"The government agencies have so far lifted only 200 tons of potato against the target of procuring 29,000 tons of potato this year," Swain said adding the state has earmarked Rs 300 crore under Potato Mission.
This apart, agencies like Markfed did not bother to procure potato from farmers though the state government had sanctioned Rs 50 crore for it, he said.
Swain said while 4,500 tons of potato were awaiting procurement by the state agency in Cuttack, besides 4000 tons each in Khurda and Bargarh, 2000 tons at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district and 5,500 tons at Laikera of Sundergarh.
Most of the potato crop was damaged by the heat, he said.
Describing the situation as 'sensitive', Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra said farmers are paying a heavy price for helping the government which had encouraged them to go for potato cultivation.
"We demand a solution of the problems faced by farmers due to distress sale of potato. Though there had been a bumper potato production in the state this time, there are no storage facilities leading to distress sale," Mishra said and urged the speaker to direct the government to do the needful in this matter.
Pujari said he has called a meeting at 5.30 pm to discuss the farmers' problem. The meeting will be attended by leader of opposition, ministers in-charge of parliamentary affairs, cooperation, agriculture, food and suplies and leader of BJP legislature party.
