Centre relents after protests, paddy procurement to begin in Punjab, Haryana from Sunday

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 2

Acceding to farmers’ demand, the Centre on Saturday decided to begin paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana from Sunday (October 3).

Following a day of widespread protests over the delay in procurement, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey announced that procurement will start tomorrow in both the states.

The announcement came after a meeting his meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar

“The procurement (of Kharif crops) will start from tomorrow in Haryana and Punjab,” Choubey said.

Emerging from the meeting Khattar said “due to continuing rains the Central Government had postponed the procurement of paddy and bajra to October 11. However, paddy had started arriving in the mandis leading to demands for procurement. After a meeting (with the union minister) today it was decided that the procurement will start tomorrow”.

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— CMO Haryana (@cmohry) October 2, 2021

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• Farmers hold protests across Punjab, Haryana over delay in purchasing paddy

Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for agreeing to his “personal request” Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi said the decision will help in ensuring smooth and hassle free procurement of paddy to the satisfaction of the farmers.

“On Chief Minister Charanjit Channi’s request, Centre allows Punjab to start paddy procurement from October 3. The Chief Minister thanks Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his personal indulgence to resolve this issue expeditiously,” the Punjab CMO tweeted.

The Punjab Chief Minister met PM Modi yesterday, who “assured him of early resolution of this issue”.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana today held protests at many places against postponing paddy procurement, prompting the Centre to hasten the process. The

Centre had earlier decided to delay the procurement of paddy under MSP to October 11 in Punjab and Haryana is in the “overall interest of farmers and consumers as well as to accept paddy stock as per FAQ”.

“Procurement of paddy at high moisture content is fraught with risk of increase in damage percentage of rice grain. The grain will become vulnerable to shriveling, blackening, discolouration and prone to infestation. This may lead to rejection at procurement centres and would lead to distress sale of paddy and consequent loss to the farmers,” officials said, adding that the Haryana government had also written to the Centre intimating about the untimely rain and requested for relaxation in Moisture Content in the paddy.

“The better course would be to harvest the paddy crop offered after a period of 10 days, that is after proper maturity then the problem of moisture in the paddy grain can be minimised. Accordingly, State Government of Punjab and Haryana have also been requested to advise their agencies to dry the paddy already arrived and further produce may be brought to the mandi after proper drying,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said yesterday.

According to officials, widespread untimely showers across Punjab and Haryana during the second fortnight of September have affected the standing paddy crop in both the agrarian states. The maximum temperature at most of the places has also been recorded below normal due to downpour.

“There was heavy downpour on September 29 and 30 in some parts of the States of Punjab and Haryana. Because of the untimely rains, maturity of paddy grains is delayed,” they said.

Quoting the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said rainfall during September 2021 is 77% and 139% above normal in Punjab and Haryana, respectively.

“On the basis of moisture content check by FCI’s regional offices at Punjab and Haryana, it was reported that paddy samples are having moisture ranging from 18% to 22% in Punjab and 18.2% to 22.7% in Haryana against the permissible limit of 17%.

“Accordingly, to save farmers from inconvenience and to protect farmer’s interest, Government of India decided that procurement of paddy under MSP operation would commence from October 11 in Punjab and Haryana and advised all agencies to gear up dying to help farmers,” the ministry stated yesterday.

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