Trouble cropping up for Punjab farmers as procurement pangs pile up at mandis

Hoshiarpur/Kapurthala: Ravinder Singh, a farmer in Hoshiarpur, has delayed harvesting of his paddy crop sown over two acres of land, fearing that the produce will not be lifted in the wake of “tardy” purchase in mandis in Punjab.

Like Singh, there are many farmers in the state, who are not harvesting paddy as grain markets are bursting at the seams with the Kharif crop piling up because of slow lifting and delayed procurement.

Though the Punjab government claims that every grain will be purchased from farmers, several paddy growers said they were in need of money to repay loans for events like wedding ceremonies and the “tardy” paddy procurement would put them under significant financial strain.

Paddy lifting from mandis in Punjab is hit after the state rice millers refuse to mill the paddy till their demands are met. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to address the issues of the state rice millers.

While the ruling AAP blamed the BJP-led Centre for not evacuating foodgrain stock in the state to create sufficient space for storing fresh crop, the opposition parties Congress and Akali Dal lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government for the slow paddy procurement and lifting. Expressing frustration over the slow pace of purchase, Ravinder said he has not harvested his crop sown over two acres of land.

The Kangmai grain market, where he plans to sell his produce, is already full due to the backlog of unsold paddy, said Singh, who hails from Bhatolian village. He said he expects to spend long hours in the market once he harvests his crop.

Another farmer Jagtar Singh, from Sataur village, said he took his produce to the Bagpur grain market about six days ago but it remains stacked because of lack of procurement. Around 125 farmers from Sataur village took their produce to various mandis including Bagpur, Dosarka, Cholang, but it has not been procured yet, farmers said.

Jagtar Singh blamed both the central and Punjab governments for the farmers’ plight.

He said the Bhagwant Mann government should have made prior arrangements to store fresh paddy crop at the shellers months ago to avoid this crisis. Amid glut, some farmers claimed not getting the full price for their produce they sold some days ago. Parminder Singh from Thinda village said he sold his crop five days ago but he was told that a cut would be imposed on his crop.