The problem of shortage of gunny bags for the purchase of paddy on the support price has increased. This is the first time Bardana has not only become valuable but its price has created a new record.
Till the time the paddy was bought, gunny bags were sold at the rate of Rs 12 to 13 per piece. In today’s situation, chopped, old and stitched gunny bags are being sold at the rate of 31 to 32 rupees per piece. Farmers are exempted from selling paddy from their own gunny bags. A provision has been made to immediately pay Rs 7.32 on paddy sale from own gunny bags.
In the event of non-return of the gunny bags, the remaining Rs. 7.68 will be paid. Apart from farmers, PDS shop operators are demanding Bardana. The pressure of gunny bags on PDS shop operators has led to a sudden increase in demand for gunny bags.
Old gunnymen are selling merchandise from neighboring provinces. Till the beginning of paddy procurement in Surguja district, the asking of Bardana was not tested but now the demand has increased. In Ambikapur city, there are only three to four businessmen of Bardana who used to reach the count of buying gunny bags, but today they are getting orders to provide gunny bags.
These traders are also buying gunny bags from traders in the neighboring provinces of Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and supplying them here. The price of Bardana has increased almost three times. As per the demand, its availability is still not being ensured. New gunny bags are not available. Work is going on only with old and mutilated gunny bags. The price of these gunny bags has skyrocketed.
