RANINAGAR, NAOGAON, Mar 19: Aman paddy procurement target was not achieved in Raninagar Upazila of the district. Rice collection has been achieved by 100 per cent.
Farmers said, they didn know when and how paddy and rice are collected. They were also not informed by the local agriculture officer.
It was learnt, the internal paddy-rice collection began on December 5. The collection time was fixed till February 28.
During this time, rice collection target was 1,348 metric tons (mt) and Atab rice 37 mt, while paddy collection target was 760 mt.
There are about 85 rice mills in the upazila. Of these, 32 ones signed agreement with the upazila food godown for giving rice. But they supplied rice by counting losses to serve the interest of the government and keep their licences. That is why rice collection was 100 per cent.
But, on the opening day of the paddy collection, about 14 maunds of paddy were supplied to the procurement centre. Later on, farmers didn supply paddy.
The government fixed per kilogram (kg) Aman paddy price at Tk 30 and rice at Tk 44 per kg. But prices of paddy and rice were higher in markets. This was told by Food Department.
A farmer of Horishpur Village Ahad said, "I am a farmer. I don know when and how the government collects paddy in the full season. I saw publicity about paddy collection."
"Even men of the agriculture didn say anything," he added.
He further said, "If we would be encouraged during the collection campaign, we would give paddy to food godown."
Upazila Food Officer Obaidul Islam said, "After getting instruction from the government during Aman season, we start collection of paddy and rice. Though we get assistance from rice millers in rice collection, local farmers don come to give paddy as they get higher prices in markets."
"That is why our campaign of paddy collection has failed. In the next season, we will try to make 100 per cent collection of IRRI and Boro paddy," the official added.
