Farmers Suffer: Agents Loot
Article Today, Hyderabad:
Many jowar (sorghum) purchase centers in the state have become hubs for illegal activities. Agents are making huge profits by illegally bringing jowar from other states and selling it at support prices, while the officials who should stop this are turning a blind eye. Recently, in Tamsi, Adilabad district, the seizure of rotten, illegal jowar has caused a stir. It’s clear that officials are involved in this. They are hiding who these jowar belong to and where they came from.
Markfed Cover-Up: Illegal Deals
Since Markfed started 608 jowar purchase centers across the state, it’s been a good time for agents. They are using farmers’ passbooks and Aadhaar cards to sell jowar illegally. They are ignoring the limit of 14 quintals per acre and are doing this with the help of purchase center staff and Markfed officials. There are strong claims that everyone is getting a share in this scam.
Illegal Transport: Neighboring States
The illegal transport of jowar from Maharashtra to Adilabad continues. The price of jowar is Rs. 2200 per quintal in Maharashtra, but in our state, the support price is Rs. 3371. This gives agents a profit of Rs. 1150 per quintal. They are bringing truckloads of jowar at night, storing it in villages, and selling it under the names of local farmers. There are accusations that this illegal transport is happening with the knowledge of officials.
Rotten Jowar Seized: No Answers
Farmers were angry when 136 quintals of old, moldy jowar were seized at the purchase center in Tamsi. Even though farmers complained, officials didn’t care. The police are also not clearly saying who these jowar belong to or who brought them. Officials say they seized 272 bags of jowar, but they are not revealing the real culprits.
Huge Commissions: Officials Involved
Farmers are alleging that some officials are running a commission racket. There are claims that these employees are helping agents by taking Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per quintal as bribes. This is happening from Ichoda to Tamsi. Information suggests that a key Markfed official in that district is leading this scam, with support from another state-level official.
These two are reportedly controlling higher-level officials and freely running the illegal jowar business. They are experts at taking commissions in every crop purchase. It is noteworthy that higher-level officials are giving them this freedom.
