Agents’ strike stalls procurement at Shahabad mandi, row resolved after talks

Paddy procurement at Shahabad grain market remained paralysed for over 24 hours after commission agents went on strike following a dispute with the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) over moisture cuts. The strike, which began on Saturday afternoon, ended on Sunday after a meeting mediated by the administration and police.

The flashpoint came after a heated exchange between BKU (Charuni) spokesman Rakesh Bains and Bittu Kalra, president of the Shahabad Commission Agents’ Association.

Kalra said the paddy arriving in the mandi had high moisture levels, in some cases exceeding 20 per cent, which millers were unwilling to accept without deductions. “The rice millers were not happy with the moisture level and in some cases there was a demand of a cut of Rs 40 per quintal if the moisture is above 20 per cent. I wanted the matter to be resolved… but the issue took an ugly turn and I was manhandled, following which the commission agents decided to go on strike. However, the matter has been resolved now, and we have resumed operations,” he said.

On the other hand, BKU’s Rakesh Bains maintained farmers had opposed arbitrary deductions. “It has been decided that there will be no cut on the paddy stock having 17 per cent moisture, and then there will be a moisture cut of Rs 25 per quintal per point. The commission agents will seek permission from farmers if the moisture content is found over 20 per cent. We will continue to struggle for the rights of the farmers.”

Market Committee secretary Krishan Kumar Malik clarified that the permissible moisture limit was 17 per cent. “The stocks arriving in the grain market were having moisture content up to 20 per cent. There was some misunderstanding, but the dispute has been resolved. A meeting of farmer union leaders, commission agents’ associations and rice millers was held. Procurement will resume on Monday morning and lifting is also gathering pace to ensure smooth operations,” he said.