Rajamahendravaram: Gunny bag shortage hampers grain movement

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari District): Shortage of gunny bags is becoming an ordeal for farmers during grain sales every crop season.

The estimated Kharif grain yield in East Godavari district is 4.53 lakh metric tonnes. Out of this, the target is to collect 3.23 lakh metric tonnes (the target was initially set at 2.85 lakh metric tonnes and later increased to 3.23 lakh metric tonnes). About 230 purchase centres have also been opened and the officials said that 75% of harvesting has been already completed across the district.

According to information, more than 76 lakh gunny bags are currently required for grain collection, but only 36 lakh bags are available. But the officials are saying that the 36 lakh bags are sufficient for this season if used in rotation method. However, the situation at field level is not as easy as the officials say.

A total of 6.50 lakh gunny bags are required for moving grain in Gokavaram mandal, but so far only 6,000 bags were handed over in two instalments.

Similar situation is existing in many places across the district and farmers even staged protest at secretariat in Kamarajupet. Unable to do anything, some farmers are leaving the grain to dry without lifting.

M Lakshmana Rao, a farmer from Gokavaram mandal, criticised that the officials are not taking serious note of the shortage of gunny bags, which repeats every year and despite farmers' complaints.

Another problem farmers face is the moisture percentage between the RBK and mills. Farmers Nanaji and Suribabu said that they are getting 5% more moisture as the pressure difference is fixed in the moisture measuring machines at the mills. They said that they cannot afford the waiting charges for the transport vehicles and they have to sell them at the price mentioned in the mills.

Farmers criticised the government for putting them in trouble by not providing gunny bags, which is the basic requirement for transporting the grain to sales centres. It is recalled that earlier when brokers purchased grain on the spot at the fields, there was no problem with gunny bags.

"The farmers explained about the shortage of gunny bags," Joint Collector N Tej Bharat agreed and clarified that they would prepare gunny bags 24 hours in advance after estimating the grain load every day. He also responded on the difference in moisture percentage. The moisture content ascertained at the buying centre is the final figure, he said. Millers have no chance to deny it on the pretext of high moisture content, the Joint Collector said.