Procurement lags as Una farmers prefer pvt traders over govt centres

Ahead of the wheat harvesting season, the Himachal Pradesh Civil Supplies Corporation activated two wheat collection centres in Una district. However, these centres have failed to attract local farmers, who cultivate wheat on nearly 60,000 hectares annually. As a result, only 1,530 quintals of wheat have been procured so far.

The two procurement centres, located in Takarla village (Amb Sub-Division) and Rampur village (Una Sub-Division), were expected to handle a substantial portion of the district’s harvest. Bhupinder Singh, Secretary of the Una Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), confirmed the total procurement figure.

Known as the food grain bowl of Himachal, Una district yields approximately one lakh quintals of wheat annually. This year, the minimum support price (MSP) set by the state government is Rs 2,425 per quintal. However, private traders are offering higher prices and doorstep pickup, making them a preferred choice for many farmers.

Bachan Singh, a farmer from Rainsary village, said private traders are offering more than the MSP and are purchasing produce directly from the fields, reducing both effort and cost. “There’s no need to transport the grain or go through cumbersome procedures,” he noted.

Another farmer, Puran Chand, highlighted the hurdles of selling wheat at government centres. “We need to register on a mobile app, wait for our turn and transport the produce ourselves. Then, 2 to 3 per cent of the grain is lost during cleaning. The Corporation only pays for the cleaned wheat, which reduces our earnings.”

He added that private traders neither demand cleaned grain nor delay payment, which is usually made in hard cash and on the spot.

APMC Secretary Bhupinder Singh said while government procurement centres aim to assist those unable to access the open market, it is ultimately important that farmers receive a fair price, regardless of where they sell.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Kulbhushan Dhiman, stated that Una district also produces around 15,000 quintals of wheat seed, distributed across the state during the sowing season. He explained that the department preserves three generations of seeds: breeder, foundation and certified.

“Breeder seeds,” procured from agricultural universities and research centres, are given to registered farmers to produce foundation seeds. In the following season, these foundation seeds are sown to generate certified seeds, which are then sold to farmers for general cultivation,” Dhiman explained.