Start procuring paddy from today, says BKU

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, September 19

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has demanded that the procurement of paddy crop should begin from September 20 as a section of farmers had switched to the early maturing varieties of paddy from the traditional ones of long duration.

The short-duration varieties are being harvested at this time. But the procurement of paddy crop in Haryana is scheduled to start from October 1. The BKU handed over a memorandum rto Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar through naib tehsildar, Jagadhri, on Wednesday.

“The traditional paddy varieties took about 110-120 days to mature but now, the improved short duration varieties can be harvested in 80-90 days. The short-term varieties have started coming to the grain markets. But the farmers are forced to sell their produce at low rates to private buyers as the government agencies will start procurement from October 1,” said Sanju Gundiana, district president of BKU.

He said that the BJP government of Chhattisgarh had announced to give Rs 300 per quintal as bonus to farmers on the procured paddy. He said that Haryana also has a BJP government and it should also give a similar bonus.

Gundiana claimed that if someone bought the farmers’ crop at rates lower than the minimum support price in Maharashtra, there was a provision of imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 and one-year imprisonment on violators there.

“The Haryana Government should pass such a law for the betterment of its farmers,” said Gundiana.