Unsold paddy: Farmers a harried lot in Gohana grain market

BS Malik

Sonepat, October 29

Since HAFED, a government procurement agency, has stopped the purchase of paddy in Gohana grain market, over 40,000 quintals of paddy is lying unsold. The farmers had been left at the mercy of private traders who were allegedly not even giving the MSP to them.

Agitating over the prevailing conditions, farmers led by the president of Rohtak Mandal of the BKU, Satyawan Narwal, today held a protest against the government and urged the Secretary of the Marketing Board, Paramjit Nandal, for immediate purchase of the produce.

Alleging that the government was not taking the problems of the farmers seriously, Narwal threatened that if the purchase was not started by tomorrow, the farmers would gherao the officers of the board.

Nandal said that rice miller with a contract with the company had refused to accept more on the plea that it was beyond his capacity to accept more stock. “However, HAFED authorities have signed an agreement with a new rice mill and the purchase is likely to start tomorrow,” he added.