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CUTTACK: The alleged delay in opening of procurement centres and issuance of tokens to paddy farmers in Cuttack district has forced them to opt for distress sale of their produce to local traders. Sources said, the district-level paddy procurement committee meeting has decided to begin paddy purchase from December 26 in Athagarh and from January 7 from other blocks. However, farmers who had cultivated short-term, high-yielding varieties of paddy have already completed harvesting their produce but are reluctant to bear the extra costs towards engaging labourers for drying and cleaning of the stock, maintaining fair average quality (FAQ), purchase gunny bags for their storage besides bear the transportation charges to the mandis. Hence, they have already started selling their produce to the local traders at lower prices. Farmers cultivating traditional paddy varieties also have the same opinion.