Ludhiana farmers face losses as discolored paddy remains unlifted

Farmers in areas, including Jodhan, Raikot, Narangwal, and a few other villages are worried about the non-lifting of yellow-colored paddy from the mandis.

They alleged that the government procurement agencies were lifting only the clean produce, while the discolored grain continued to lie unattended.

Farmers fear that once the lifting begins, cuts will be imposed by the agencies and arhtiyas, leading to financial losses. 

Talking to The Tribune, Tarsem Singh Jodhan said that in Jodhan Mandi, around 50,000 bags had arrived so far, out of which 30,000 had been lifted, while nearly 20,000 bags were still lying in the mandi.

“The remaining stock consists mainly of haldi-rog affected paddy, which has turned yellow due to excessive rainfall. Everyone knows the kind of havoc rains created in the region. Instead of creating hurdles, the authorities must ensure that the farmer does not suffer any financial setback,” he said.

Another farmer leader, Baldev Singh Latala, said that farmers in the Latala and Raikot areas were facing similar problems.

“If the discolored grain is not lifted in a timely manner, farmers will be forced to sell it at lower prices. Arhtiyas will act as middlemen, and the farmer will bear the brunt,” he said. “Nearly 20–25 percent of the paddy in the area is yellow-grained. The government must ensure that such produce is also lifted without discrimination,” he added. 

One of the officials with the Food and Supplies department said that there is a problem of discoloration in the grain, roughly 20-25%, with some areas having more and some less. The FCI team and a team from the center have also visited and checked several mandis to consider granting relaxation to buy the discolored grain.

The team has already visited, and they were shown the discolored grains. The Deputy Commissioner, Himanshu Jain, however, said, “We are with the farmers and have already sent our report to headquarters regarding the discolored grain.

The expert team has also visited, and we are pursuing the matter vigorously, awaiting the final report and relaxations. Meanwhile, we have directed the DFSC to ensure smooth purchase at MSP and requested the millers.”