DC urges farmers to bring only dried paddy to Mandis

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain has urged farmers across the district to bring only fully dried paddy to procurement centres. She reminded that the Punjab Government has fixed the maximum permissible moisture content in paddy at 17 per cent and farmers must ensure their crop is properly dried before delivering it to the mandis.

Addressing a meeting with procurement officials today, Jain assured that both farmers and procurement staff would face no inconvenience during the procurement season. She directed officials to conduct extensive awareness campaigns to help farmers avoid hurdles while selling their produce.

The Deputy Commissioner confirmed that all procurement arrangements have been completed in every mandi across the district. She instructed officers to strictly adhere to government guidelines and reiterated the state government’s commitment to purchasing every grain of paddy cultivated by farmers.

Jain further directed that paddy harvesting using combines should only be done between 10.00 am and 6.00 pm to prevent excess moisture in the crop. She emphasized that no combine harvester without a Super SMS attachment would be permitted to operate in the district.

Appealing to farmers to refrain from stubble burning, Jain highlighted that the practice damages the environment and reduces soil fertility. She encouraged farmers to adopt stubble management techniques to protect the environment. Officials from the Agriculture Department, Mandi Board and procurement agencies were present at the meeting.