Allege that they are being forced to sell paddy at Rs 1,550 per quintal | Gherao residence of Deputy CM OP SoniFarmers protest delay in paddy procurement

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, October 2

Farmers under the banner of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha protested outside the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni and Ajnala MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala.

The protesters sought immediate commencement of paddy procurement in the state.

The protests have been triggered after the Centre decided to delay the procurement till October 11 on the pretext of high moisture content in foodgrains due to recent spell of rain. Earlier, the procurement was scheduled to start from October 1.

The agitating farmers said their crop was ready for harvesting and in absence of procurement by the government, they were being forced to sell their produce to private players below the minimum support price (MSP).

Protesting outside the residence of Soni, a farm leader Gurdev Singh Jheeta claimed that he had to sell his paddy at Rs 1,550 per quintal while the government had fixed the MSP at Rs 1,960 per quintal.

“Farmers have no infrastructure or resources to store their produce even for a few days. They have to sell it immediately after harvesting,” he said.

Farmers reasoned that every year, the procurement begins on October 1, but why has it been delayed this year. Last year, the paddy procurement was advanced by a few days and had begun in last week of September.

The farmers also initiated an indefinite protest outside the residence of MLA Ajnala. A farm leader Dhanwant Singh Khatraekalan said the protest would continue till the procurement begins.

The farm leaders held the state government responsible for the delay in procurement and said the Centre and state’s policies were causing them financial loss.