New digital system delays paddy purchase in Sirsa

Sirsa’s grain market reopened for private paddy procurement on Monday after a three-day break, drawing farmers from nearby villages eager to sell their produce. Following efforts to clear earlier stock and expedite lifting operations, farmers began arriving from Sunday night itself, stacking paddy neatly in the yard by morning.

However, the first day of trading turned difficult as farmers faced hurdles with a new digital system introduced by the state government to make the process more transparent and curb bogus sales. The system requires farmers to obtain tokens through the Meri Fasal-Mera Byora portal using a mobile number registered on the platform, verified through a location-based OTP.

Technical glitches, sluggish servers and lack of clear instructions led to long delays. The older web-based system at the market committee’s registration counter was not functioning, while the new mobile app repeatedly froze. Farmers said they stood in queues for hours without success, as the app often failed to open and location verification did not work properly. Many demanded that the authorities fix the technical issues promptly and offer clearer guidance in advance.

Market committee officials said the location-based system had been designed to enhance transparency and prevent fraudulent transactions. They acknowledged initial technical problems but assured that these would be rectified soon.

Several farmers shared their experiences. Gagandeep from Darbi said he reached the market early in the morning but managed to get his token only by afternoon after repeated app failures. Balraj from Jhopra was unable to complete OTP verification because his registered mobile number was not with him and had to return without selling his produce. Ramchandra, an elderly farmer from Bharokhan, needed help from relatives to operate the mobile app, finally obtaining his token around 2 pm before completing his sale.

While the e-purchase and location-based system mark a step towards modernising the paddy procurement process, the first day exposed serious teething troubles that left many farmers frustrated. The coming days will show how quickly officials can address these issues and streamline the process for seller