Paddy arrival picks up pace in mandis

Harvesting of paddy crop is gradually picking up pace in the district and nearly 19,000 metric tonnes (MT) of the crop has reached the grain markets so far, marking the beginning of the procurement season. A total of 48 markets have been made operational across the district to facilitate smooth procurement.

Officials said that while paddy has started arriving in several mandis, it is yet to pick up pace as harvesting of only the early ripening varieties has started so far. Another reason for the slow arrival of produce is the high moisture content in freshly harvested paddy, which makes it unsuitable for immediate sale. Farmers are, therefore, waiting for the grain to dry properly before bringing it to the markets.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the procurement process is going on smoothly and farmers are being paid within 24 hours of the sale through online transfer of the crop’s price into their bank accounts. She appealed to the farmers to harvest the crop only when it is fully ripe and ensure that the moisture level does not exceed 17 per cent so that procurement agencies can accept the stock without delay.

District Food Supply Controller (DFSC) Amanjit Singh added that agencies will not lift paddy with higher moisture levels. He urged the farmers to avoid rushing through the harvest and instead bring only dry grain to the mandis.

To address stubble management, District Mandi Officer Ramandeep Singh informed that Kisan Help Centres have been set up at the gates of major mandis. These centres are providing farmers with machinery support so that they can manage the crop residue without resorting to stubble burning.

So far, 149 farmers have registered at these centres and 71 have already availed the machinery facilities, he said. The authorities expect the arrival of paddy to increase significantly in the coming days as harvesting gains momentum.