It is high time the relevant authorities ensure easy access of farmers to government food grain procurement centres, monitor the activities of officials there and rein in the elements who are usurping what should be the farmers� gains

Farmers robbed of procurement prices

That non farmers are reaping the benefits of the government’s rice procurement programme depriving the genuine farmers is a worrying piece of information. A report on this appeared in a leading daily newspaper yesterday.
With a view to giving incentives to our farmers, the government is procuring rice from growers at 32 taka per kg, 10 taka more than the market price of rice. At present market price of per kg rice is taka 22. While the low quality rice imported from India is selling at taka 20 per kg.  
The government purchases rice and paddy every year through the procurement centers and stockpile the same at different warehouses. This is done to meet any emergency situation. Besides, the procured rice is used in food for work programme taken up by the government. Farmers are expected to sell their surplus rice and paddy at a profit and with the money earned they meet various family requirements. Thus, apparently the interests of both sides are met from
the operation of these procurement centers.
But what is shocking is that the farmers are not getting the benefits of government’s procurement prices. Some locally influential persons all over the country are pocketing the incentives which are meant for the farmers. They are allegedly found purchasing Indian rice at low prices and selling the same at government procurement centers and making windfall profits. The corrupt officials of the procurement centers are helping them. Farmers have hardly any access to these centers.
  But why should the government purchase Indian rice for procurement other than rice from our farmers? And that too at price higher than the market price?. This is a sheer drainage on the state exchequer. Government has purchased 5,37,270 metric tons of rice so far and more 5,00,000 tons of rice and 1,00,000 tons of paddy will be purchased.
It is quite disturbing to note that non farmers are crowding procurement centres and posing as farmers they are getting the benefits of the government declared procurement prices to the relative exclusion of the real farmers. If this trend continues, farmers may lose interest in rice production and that ultimately may lead to under production of food grains in the country.
It is high time for the relevant authorities to ensure easy access of the farmers to the government procurement centres, monitor the activities of the officials there and rein in the elements who are usurping what should be the farmers’ gains.           

It is high time the relevant authorities ensure easy access of farmers to government food grain procurement centres, monitor the activities of officials there and rein in the elements who are usurping what should be the farmers� gains

Farmers robbed of procurement prices

That non farmers are reaping the benefits of the governments rice procurement programme depriving the genuine farmers is a worrying piece of information. A report on this appeared in a leading daily newspaper yesterday. With a view to giving incentives to our farmers, the government is procuring rice from growers at 32 taka per kg, 10 taka more than the market price of rice. At present market price of per kg rice is taka 22. While the low quality rice imported from India is selling at taka 20 per kg. The government purchases rice and paddy every year through the procurement centers and stockpile the same at different warehouses. This is done to meet any emergency situation. Besides, the procured rice is used in food for work programme taken up by the government. Farmers are expected to sell their surplus rice and paddy at a profit and with the money earned they meet various family requirements. Thus, apparently the interests of both sides are met from the operation of these procurement centers. But what is shocking is that the farmers are not getting the benefits of governments procurement prices. Some locally influential persons all over the country are pocketing the incentives which are meant for the farmers. They are allegedly found purchasing Indian rice at low prices and selling the same at government procurement centers and making windfall profits. The corrupt officials of the procurement centers are helping them. Farmers have hardly any access to these centers. But why should the government purchase Indian rice for procurement other than rice from our farmers? And that too at price higher than the market price?. This is a sheer drainage on the state exchequer. Government has purchased 5,37,270 metric tons of rice so far and more 5,00,000 tons of rice and 1,00,000 tons of paddy will be purchased. It is quite disturbing to note that non farmers are crowding procurement centres and posing as farmers they are getting the benefits of the government declared procurement prices to the relative exclusion of the real farmers. If this trend continues, farmers may lose interest in rice production and that ultimately may lead to under production of food grains in the country. It is high time for the relevant authorities to ensure easy access of the farmers to the government procurement centres, monitor the activities of the officials there and rein in the elements who are usurping what should be the farmers gains.