Paddy worth millions washed off in Chhattisgarh rains

RAIPUR - After braving a poor monsoon, farmers in Chhattisgarh are again facing testing times as unabated rains since Tuesday have destroyed millions of rupees worth paddy crop stored in the open grounds.

“Despite a poor monsoon, the farmers showed courage this kharif season and somehow managed through loans. They had stocked the paddy in the open fields but the heavy unseasonal rains destroyed their paddy,” said an official of the state agriculture department.

The agriculture department has estimated the loss in millions.

The state government started procuring paddy from about a million farmers Nov 1 in all the 18 districts through cooperative societies at Rs.1,030 per quintal of common variety and Rs.1,060 for grade-A paddy.

Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters in the state assembly complex that he will urge the central government to purchase the paddy despite being spoilt in the rain.

“This unseasonal rain has caused a huge, huge loss to farmers. The paddy crops stored in the open ground has been devastated and I will be writing a letter today itself to the union agriculture minister to instruct the FCI to purchase the paddy crop devastated by the current spell of rain,” Singh said.

The opposition Congress has hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for passing the buck to the centre over the massive loss suffered by farmers in the state.

“The state government must come to the rescue of farmers urgently and announce compensation for their paddy crop losses instead of writing a letter to the central government,” Ravindra Choubey, leader of the opposition, told newsmen.

Chhattisgarh is a major paddy growing state in the country. Last year, around 4.4 million tonnes of paddy were procured in the state by the government.