Hafed procures mustard on MSP with riders

Tribune News Service

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, March 17

The condition of at least 38 per cent oil content and not more than 8 per cent moisture in mustard fixed by the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (HAFED) for its purchase has left the mustard farmers high and dry.

Only lab tested crop fetching high price

I had to sell my mustard at a rate of Rs 4,920 to private arhtiyas. Hafed offers the MSP to only those farmers with select heaps of mustard that have been tested in the lab. A large number of farmers are still forced to sell mustard below the MSP. Mahender, farmer of Mingnikhera village in Hisar

Hafed has put a condition that the mustard seed must conform to the fair average quality (FAQ) specifications of the Centre and additionally it should have a minimum of 38 per cent oil content as per the lab test.

Hafed has decided to start the commercial procurement of mustard at the MSP of Rs 5,450 per quintal from March 14, following a drastic fall in the prices of the mustard in the open market. As a result, the farmers were forced to resort to distress sale of mustard to traders in the open market.

Hafed officials stated that to stabilise the market and in the economic interests of the farmers, they decided to procure the mustard at the MSP, but subject to the conditions of the FAQ specifications of the Centre.

Sources said in Hisar district, 33,793 quintals of mustard was purchased by private traders below the MSP this season. Hafed had purchased only 8,071 quintals of mustard on the MSP while 1,250 quintals mustard was unsold. The Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board office details revealed that the market prices continued to be between Rs 4,300 and Rs 5,260 per quintal today. The arrival of mustard is also lower as compared to the last year. Till now, 45,848 quintals of mustard had arrived in seven grain markets in Hisar district while 60,227 quintals of mustard had arrived in the mandis of the district last year.

A farmer, Mahender of Mingnikhera village in Hisar, said he had to sell his mustard at a rate of Rs 4,920 to private arhtiyas. “Hafed offers the MSP to only those farmers with select heaps of mustard that have been tested in the lab. A large number of farmers are still forced to sell mustard below the MSP,” he stated.

Pawan Garg, a trader in Hisar mandi, stated that Hafed had put stringent conditions, including 38 per cent oil content, which had been introduced for the first time for the purchase of mustard on the MSP.

“Even the traders are ready to purchase such good quality mustard on the MSP. But why will the traders

purchase the mustard rejected by Hafed at the MSP?,

he quipped.

However, the MSP officials said they were purchasing the mustard as per the specifications fixed by the government on the MSP.