Rice exporters' strike hits Rohtak, Jhajjar farmers hard

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, October 17

The ongoing strike of rice exporters has hit farmers of Rohtak and Jhajjar districts hard as they are finding it difficult to store their produce due to lack of space. As private purchase of paddy is not being made these days, farmers are left with no choice but to bring their produce to grain markets as they cannot keep it in the fields amid uncertain weather conditions.

“I have stored my produce loaded on a trailer at my neighbour’s house due to inadequate space at my house. Since harvesting is still underway, hence more arrangement to store the produce at a safer place will have to be made if the strike does not end soon,” said Sunil Malik, a paddy grower from Kharawar village, Rohtak.

Braham Prakash, another farmer from Khungai village, Jhajjar, said non-availability of adequate space at home forced him to keep the paddy in the fields. “My father has been staying at the fields to keep surveillance,” he added.

Somvir, another farmer, said he had brought the produce directly to the grain market to save labour expenses. “I will have to pay double labour expenses if I had to take the produce to home first and then to mandis after private purchase starts,” he added.

A similar situation is being faced by Krishan of Shekupur village, Devender of Guda village and several others farmers in Jhajjar district. “I have parked my trailer loaded with paddy in a street due to less space to store it,” Devender added.

Chand Singh, former president of Jhajjar New Grain Market Association, said despite being aware of the strike, many private farmers continue to bring paddy to the mandi as they have no arrangement to store it.

Meanwhile, Preet Singh, Rohtak district president, Kisan Sabha, has demanded that the Central Government should accept the demands of rice exporters to protect the farmers’ interests.

“The rates of paddy will go down considerably if private purchase is not restored soon., hence the government should resolve the issue at the earliest,” Singh added.