Slow paddy lifting leads to space crunch in markets

Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 21

With the paddy arrival in grain markets picking pace, the lifting of the already procured paddy is slowing down daily, resulting in space crunch for the unloading of fresh arrival in various grain markets of the district.

Moreover, the tardy lifting has turned the vegetable and fruit market in Karnal city, which was inaugurated by the CM Manohar Lal Khattar last year, into grain market. Due to space crunch, the paddy is being unloaded in vegetable and fruit markets, reducing the interest of shopkeepers in their market.

As per the record, 12,023,22 metric tonnes of paddy has arrived in various grain markets of the district, while a large chunk of it is yet to be lifted. The arrival from the UP and other neighbouring states by traders is also leading to space crunch for farmers. The situation is the same in each grain market of the district, said an official.

“I had to face lot of problem to unload my paddy due to slow lifting in the Karnal grain market,” said a farmer. He said that the farmers always remained at the receiving end from cultivation to harvesting and selling of their produce. The lifting should be smooth, he demanded.

A shopkeeper in the new fruit and vegetable market said the whole premises of the fruit market had been flooded with the paddy and they were not able to do their business.

The paddy started coming to the grain market in the middle of September and the government had started the procurement in October. Lakhs of paddy bags are lying in various grain markets of the district.

Deputy Commissioner Aditya Dahiya said due to the change of the policy that only up to 6,000 mt of paddy could be allotted to a miller for milling, this situation prevailed in grain markets. Now the norms have been revised by the government and yesterday, they had held a meeting of the district milling committee in which the capacity had been enhanced up to 7,000 of all mills. “From Monday, the problem of space crunch would be resolved,” he added.