Bhubaneswar, Feb. 8 -- Hundreds of farmers associated with the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS) in Nial village under Aul block of Kendrapara district alleged severe harassment on Sunday by rice millers over refusal to lift their paddy.

According to the farmers, paddy has been lying at the Nial paddy mandi, but millers are avoiding procurement on questionable grounds.

On Saturday evening, three trucks from a Pattamundai-based rice mill had arrived at the Nial mandi to lift paddy. However, the miller allegedly claimed that the entire stock stored at the mandi was of inferior quality and sent the trucks back without loading any produce. Instead, the same trucks allegedly procured paddy from the Demal mandi.

Angered by this...