Farmers warned not to bring paddy with high moisture

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 11

To persuade farmers not to bring the paddy in mandis with moisture content above the permissible limit of 17 per cent, commission agents and rice millers have joined hands in the area.

They have put up big flex boards, hoardings and posters in the area around the grain mandis, warning the farmers of the harassment and problems they would face due to high moisture content in paddy.

“As high moisture content in paddy is a big hindrance in its procurement process that leads to its large-scale rejection by the government procurement agencies and many times, the farmers are forced to sell it below the minimum support price (MSP), we want the farmers not to ignore the government-fixed permissible limit of 17 per cent moisture in paddy,” said a senior functionary in district mandi office in Faridkot.

Despite this campaign, some farmers who have brought their produce with high moisture content have to dry it under the sun by spreading the grain during the day for drying and covering it at night to save it from dew drops.

“Incomplete or uneven drying will result in qualitative and quantitative losses, which include yellowing or discoloration caused by mold development and heat build-up from respiration, reduced milling yields caused by high temperatures and damages caused by insects that are more active in higher moisture levels,” said Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Prashar.

So far 25,999 metric tonne paddy has been procured in the district. Though the arrival of paddy in the mandis is much higher, due to high moisture, the procurement agencies are facing problem in purchasing, said the Deputy Commissioner, requesting the farmers to bring dry paddy in the mandis.