High moisture in paddy delays arrivals

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, October 12

The inclement weather in the past couple of days has delayed paddy arrivals as the crop now had higher than permissible limit of moisture content.

The moisture content in the crop is around 21-22 per cent at various places as against a permissible limit of 17 per cent.

Today, just 2.19 lakh metric tonnes of paddy arrived in the mandis of the state as against 2.84 LMT of paddy arrival at the same time last year.

Till today evening, 15.18 LMT of paddy had arrived in the mandis. In many parts of the state, moisture content in the crop is stated to be much higher than the permissible limit, raising the farmers’ concerns about rejection of their crop by the government procurement agencies or buying of these with a value cut in the minimum support price (MSP).

Jasbir Singh of Bija said, “The miller is accepting paddy only if it has permissible limits of moisture. The farmer as well as his commission agent are forced to bear some cut in value in order to ensure that he accepts the paddy,” he said.

The rain in the past few days has led to high moisture content in the standing as well as harvested paddy crop. This has pushed the paddy season further into November and could lead to delays in the sowing of next wheat crop. This will also lead to higher instances of stubble burning as farmers will be constrained to clear their fields early and prepare those for the next crop. Today, 104 incidents of stubble burning were reported in the state, taking the total incidents so far this year to 867.

The issue was put up by farmers and commission agents in Khanna grain market before the Chairman and Managing Director of Food Corporation of India Ashok KK Meena there today.

Harbans Singh Rosha, president of Arhtiya Association, Khanna, said the permissible limit of paddy on MSP should be raised to 19 per cent.

This morning, a delegation of the state government led by Principal Secretary Food and Supplies Rahul Bhandari and comprising of MDs of all state procurement agencies had also met the FCI CMD.

The CMD reportedly reviewed the Anaj Kharid portal and updating of all records on the portal as well as the timely payment to farmers.

Ravinder Singh Cheema, state president of Arhtiya Association of Punjab, said that there is unlikelihood of the moisture content going down and that the FCI authorities should relax the specifications for moisture content.

Chief Secy meets FCI head

Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua also met the CMD of FCI Ashok KK Meena and raised a request that the FCI help the state in its crop diversification plans, by starting purchase of millets and some other coarse grains.