JEYPORE: Farmers of Koraput district are facing distress sale of paddy with the State Civil Supplies Corporation yet to release funds for procurement. Middlemen are buying paddy from hapless farmers at `900 a quintal, `100 less than the minimum support price (MSP) in various mandis. The district administration had fixed 1,50,000 MT procurement paddy target in the kharif season and accordingly, mandis were opened last week in 50 areas under Jeypore and Koraput sub-divisions. However, the procurement process ran into rough weather with the Corporation - the primary procurement agency - having no funds for procurement. Though farmers are bringing paddy in large quantities for sale, there are no takers as of now. The State Government has not yet provided `10 crore for the process resulting in the crisis. With no option left, farmers are forced to sell their produce to middlemen and unscrupulous traders at lower rates. Besides, after harvesting, a large number of farmers are compelled to sell their stocked paddy to meet daily expenses. The middlemen are allegedly running parallel procurement centres in various villages and buying paddy at `900 a quintal. Farmers under pani panchayats today demanded provision of required funds to the State Civil Supplies Corporation to prevent further delay in procurement and resultant distress sales. Earlier, the pani panchayat members met Jeypore MLA Rabi Narayan Nanda on the issue.