Paddy procurement at Malmunda Mandi under Puintala block in Bolangir district has come to a standstill following an ongoing protest by rice millers over their demands. As millers have stopped sending vehicles to lift paddy from the mandi, farmers are facing severe hardship, with large quantities of harvested paddy lying exposed in the open.
Farmers said that despite bringing their produce to the mandi as per the procurement schedule, lifting operations have been completely halted due to the millers’ agitation. The situation has heightened anxiety among cultivators, particularly with the looming threat of unseasonal rainfall that could cause extensive damage to the produce.
Officials and farmer representatives said the problem is not limited to Malmunda alone. Similar disruptions in paddy lifting have been reported from several mandis across the state over the past few days, leaving thousands of paddy sacks stacked at procurement centres and storage points. The crisis has further worsened after earlier delays caused by token-related issues, with the ongoing protest compounding the procurement bottleneck.
A local farmer expressed concern, stating that millers were refusing to send vehicles to lift paddy, leaving the produce vulnerable to weather-related damage. Farmers also pointed out that tractor operators are charging high transportation fees, adding to their financial burden.
Block-level officials said that although the mandi opened later than usual this season, procurement had initially progressed smoothly before the latest disruption. They added that efforts are underway to resolve the issue, with authorities in constant communication with rice millers to resume lifting at the earliest.
Officials further stated that farmers would be informed in advance once lifting operations resume to avoid inconvenience. A notice has also been issued seeking a 15-day extension of token validity to ensure farmers do not lose their procurement slots due to the delay. However, officials clarified that procurement can move forward only after millers resume lifting paddy from the mandis.
Farmers have urged the district administration and the state government to intervene immediately to end the impasse and safeguard their produce from further losses.
