Ludhiana, Malerkotla farmers, agents feel ‘harassed’

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 13

Implementation of norms related to the permissible moisture content in the paddy harvest is becoming difficult for the officials of various procurement agencies and commission agents at the purchase centres of the region falling under Ludhiana and Malerkotla districts.

While officials from Mandikaran Board tried to wash their hands of the responsibility by putting up notices barring dumping of paddy grains with moisture content higher than permissible 17 per cent, commission agents feel sandwiched between vigilance agencies and farmers, with the former threatening to take punitive action and the latter determined to bring “whatever is harvested” to the procurement centres.

‘Difficult to bring down moisture’

• The government is “harassing farmers and commission agents” due to the ongoing struggle against the farm laws. It is really difficult for farmers to bring down moisture in grains due to sudden drop in temperature in the mornings and evenings, said All India Kissan Sabha leader Baldev Singh Latala.
• “We fail to understand how we can stop farmers from dumping their produce in yards without measuring the moisture content,” says Surinder Kuradchhappa, president of the Arhtiya Union, Ahmedgarh.

President, Arhtiya Union Ahmedgarh, Surinder Kuradchhappa alleged that commission agents were being harassed unnecessarily.

“We fail to understand how we can stop farmers from dumping their produce in yards without measuring the moisture content,” said Kuradchhappa.

It is the sole duty of designated government officials to ascertain and record various parameters of the procured produce, he said.

All India Kissan Sabha leader Baldev Singh Latala alleged that the government was “harassing farmers and commission agents” due to the ongoing struggle against the contentious farm laws.

It is really difficult for farmers to bring down moisture in grains due to sudden drop in temperature in the mornings and evenings, he said.

“Situation could have eased sufficiently had the authorities allowed farmers to dry their produce at the purchase centres,” said Latala.

As per a circular issued by the District Mandi Officer, Ludhiana, “Secretary, market committee will be directly responsible if paddy with higher moisture content is recovered from the procurement yard.”

“(We) will not hesitate from writing to head office for administrative action,” read the circular received at by the market committees of Ludhiana district.

District mandi officer’s circular

The secretary, market committee, will be directly responsible if paddy with higher moisture content is recovered from the procurement yard. (We) will not hesitate from writing to head office for administrative action.

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