Farmers left in lurch as centre completes corn buying target

The administration should find a way andgive us relief, the farmer said.Tehsildar Gaikwad said the centre can restart cornprocurement only if higher-ups give permission.If our senior officials tell us to buy more produce,we will do it, he said.The target allotted to Aurangabad district for cornprocurement is 87,000 quintals, another official said.Of this, 78,594 quintals of corn have been bought at aprice of Rs 1,860 per quintal, the official told.

After completing its target ofbuying corn, the marketing federation at Vaijapur taluka inAurangabad district has stopped procurement, leaving in thelurch farmers who had registered online to sell their produceat the local collection centre.

Tehsildar Rahul Gaikwad on Thursday said the taluka incentral Maharashtra was given a target of procuring 18,000quintals of corn this year.

''We have completed the target and we dont haveauthority to buy more produce than the allotted target,'' hesaid.

As many as 69 tractors laden with corn are currentlyparked outside the procurement centre and they belong tofarmers who had registered online for selling their farmproduce, former MLA Bhausaheb Patil Chikatgaonkar claimedwhile talking to PTI.

The former MLA met district collector Sunil Chavan andurged him to give relief to farmers who are in the queue tosell their produce.

''Farmers have registered online to sell corn atGhaygaon centre which is managed by the co-operativedepartment. They reached the centre on the given date, yettheir farm produce has not been bought,'' Chikatgaonkar said.

''We have come to know that the target given to ourtaluka has been completed. I met the district collector andrequired him to find a way out,'' he said.

A farmer, who is waiting to sell his corn stock,alleged the collection centre has procured the produce fromtraders instead of local cultivators.

The farmer, Subhash Sathe, said, ''I had registeredonline to sell my farm produce (at Ghaygaon centre). I wascalled on January 23 with my farm produce.

''I reached the centre on the given date but even after10 days, my produce is yet to be bought. On the other hand,officials of the centre have bought the produce brought bytraders.'' Sathe said the local administration should find a wayto provide relief to farmers like him.

''I am paying Rs 1,500 rent for each day for threetrailers which are carrying my farm produce which is nearly100 to 110 quintals. The administration should find a way andgive us relief,'' the farmer said.

Tehsildar Gaikwad said the centre can restart cornprocurement only if higher-ups give permission.

''If our senior officials tell us to buy more produce,we will do it,'' he said.

The target allotted to Aurangabad district for cornprocurement is 87,000 quintals, another official said.

Of this, 78,594 quintals of corn have been bought at aprice of Rs 1,860 per quintal, the official told.