Procure bajra in Bhiwani or face protest: BKU (Chaduni)

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chanduni) has announced that it will protest on September 29 if governemnt agencies fail to resume procurement of bajra at MSP in Bhiwani district.

The BKU warned that if procurement didn't begin by Monday, farmers would lock the main gate of the Bhiwani grain market and block the road. A delegation of farmers led by BKU (Chanduni) district president Rakesh Arya met with Bhiwani's District Food and Supplies Controller and Grain Market Officer Yogesh Sharma. The delegation demanded immediate start of government procurement of bajra.

Farmers told officials that they urgently needed money to sow the next crop, but the lack of procurement had pushed them into a financial crisis. Arya said the bajra was being brought to the market, but government procurement was not taking place. As a result, they were being forced to sell their produce to private traders at throwaway prices, leading to financial losses.

After meeting with the officials, BKU (Chanduni) leaders warned that farmers would resort to road blockade and a dharna, and state-level leaders, including Gurnam Singh Chanduni, would also take part in the demonstration.

Grain market association president Bhuru Singh said the state government was neither buying the produce nor giving clear instructions to procurement agencies. “Farmers are left in distress,” he said.

"The state government has fixed MSP at Rs 2200 per quintal, with an additional bonus of Rs 575, but this price is not being implemented effectively," Bhuru alleged, adding, “Farmers are being forced to sell at rates as low as Rs 2,100 a quintal."

However, an official of the Haryana Warehouse Corporation (HWC) maintained that they were ready to buy according to the set norms. But there was some dispute with commission agents over quality standards, which was causing the delay.