‘Denied’ inter-state trade, rice millers go on strike

Fazilka, October 25

Rice millers and exporters of Jalalabad have decided to go on a strike and boycott the purchase of basmati from the market. The announcement of the boycott has been made in protest against millers being stopped from doing inter-state trade of paddy. Their trucks of paddy purchased from other states were returned resulting in huge financial losses to them.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the Rice Millers and Exporters’ Association held in Jalalabad on Saturday. The millers have also written a letter to CM Capt Amarinder Singh demanding smooth trade of paddy. They also condemned the FIRs registered against the millers for bringing paddy from other states.

Rice miller and exporter Kapil Gumber said he had purchased eight trucks of paddy from Haryana and UP. The trucks remained stranded at different locations during the farmers’ agitation. He alleged the trucks were returned by the administration resulting in huge losses to him.

“The millers are legally allowed to buy basmati from other states as it is exported after shelling. It does not fall in the MSP category and is purchased and sold in the open market,” said another miller Harish Setia. — OC

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