The harvest and procurement of paddy cultivated in the ‘puncha’ (first) crop season has picked up pace in Kuttanad and other parts of Alappuzha.
The Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco), which began paddy procurement in February, purchased 31,691 tonnes from farmers so far this season. Farmers have undertaken paddy farming on 28,663 hectares in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. “The process is going full throttle in Alappuzha. About 40% (11,500 hectares) of the paddy sown area has been harvested so far. That figure is expected to reach 80% in the next three weeks,” said a Supplyco official.
Though Supplyco is expecting to procure 1,37,800 tonnes of paddy from Alappuzha in the current season, officials are doubtful about achieving the target due to comparatively low yield from fields already gone under combine harvesters. “Paddy farmers used to get an average yield of 2.5 tonnes per acre. However, it has come down to two tonnes this time around,” the official added. The procurement, which is expected to go on till mid-May, is done as per the registration made by farmers online.
Meanwhile, paddy farmers in the district are a concerned lot as Supplyco is yet to begin the disbursal of procurement price for the ‘puncha’ crop season. Sources said that Supplyco was awaiting funds from the government to clear the farmers’ dues.
In previous years, farmers received the procurement amount from banks as post-harvest credit on production of the paddy receipt sheet (PRS) issued by millers. The amount disbursed to farmers by banks under the PRS loan scheme was then repaid by the government. However, in the additional (second) crop season, the procurement price was mostly provided directly to farmers instead of making payments under the PRS scheme. Though officials maintain that procurement price would be given directly to farmers’ bank accounts this time too like in the additional season, there seems to be a lack of clarity on the matter.
