FEROZEPORE, Sept 24 — Tempers are running high among the farmers of this border district over delayed procurement of paddy by various state agencies.

Scores of farmers from the border villages, who are camping at the main grain market here with their produce for the past 15 days allege that not a single official from any of the agencies has approached them, even four days after the procurement started on September 21.

This has prompted them to sell off their produce to rice millers had merchants for a price much below the minimum support price of Rs 540.

The farmers, who have now formed an 11-member Joint Action Committee, have threatened to take to the streets if the procurement is delayed any further. The committee leaders, Mr Balbir Singh and Mr Amrik Singh, lamented that most farmers have already disposed of their paddy for anything between Rs 450 and 480 to the millers. They now fear that the millers will actually pocket the minimum support price (MSP).

This is despite a low moisture content in the paddy accumulating in the mandis. Sources in the administration revealed that the agencies were reluctant to accept the paddy mainly on account of shortage of storage space.

However, in a bid to pacify the farmers, the administration is reported to have pulled up certain agency officials for delaying the procurement. While appreciating the problems of the farmers, the SDM, Mr D.P.S. Kharbanda, assured that the authorities were keeping a check on distress sale of paddy and directed the agencies to do speedy procurement.

The agitated farmers detained certain Food Corporation of India officials, when the latter went to a mandi in Ladhuka yesterday. An important Zira road was also sealed for almost an hour by the farmers here yesterday.

JALANDHAR: Agitated over the delay in paddy procurement, farmers blocked traffic at the Lohian-Sultanpur chowk in Lohian on Sunday.

Though the state government has been claiming that all state government agencies would start paddy purchase from September 21, no government agency has come forward for procurement in Lohian and Shahkot so far.

At least 200 farmers blocked traffic and sat on a dharna at the Lohian-Sultanpur chowk and raised anti-government slogans for three hours in the morning.

The dharna was lifted after the SDM, Shahkot, reached the spot and assured the farmers that their produce would be lifted immediately.

Paddy growers are facing a loss of Rs 150 to Rs 200 per quintal, as they are being forced to sell their crop at a rate below the minimum support price to private traders due to the negligible procurement of paddy by government agencies.

Paddy growers are facing a loss of Rs 150 to Rs 200 per quintal, as they are being forced to sell their crop at a rate below the minimum support price to private traders due to the negligible procurement of paddy by government agencies.

Paddy growers are being forced to sell their produce at Rs 320 to Rs 350 per quintal whereas the Centre has fixed a minimum support price of Rs 510 to Rs 540 per quintal.

MOGA: Due to negligible procurement of paddy in the past three days, over 3 lakh bags of the crop have piled up in the local markets and the farmers are awaiting their turn for procurement for the past 15 days.

On the other hand, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Kanwalbir Singh Sidhu, claimed here on Sunday that the Food Supplies Department and warehousing corporation had earlier purchased over 2000 tonnes of paddy from Nihalsinghwala purchasing centres and procurement was still going on there. He said that the FCI was likely to enter the market within a couple of days.

On Saturday evening, farmers from various villages have staged a demonstration in protest against the non-procurement of their produce.

Meanwhile, all 40 samples of paddy taken by the FCI a few days ago from purchase centres in this district do not meet the specifications of the government and are, therefore, declared unfit.

MALERKOTLA: With the announcement of specification for paddy by the government, the private traders have refused to purchase the crop. Due to negligible procurement of paddy in the past three days, more than 1 lakh bags of paddy have accumulated in the grain market.

Farmers blocked traffic near the local grain market in protest against non-procurement of paddy by the agencies concerned. The demonstrating farmers charged the procurement agencies with delaying the purchase of paddy even as it continued to heap in mandis. They threatened to intensify their agitation from September 25.

FARIDKOT: The District Kisan Union has threatened to take drastic action if the Punjab Government fails to procure paddy smoothly at the MSP of Rs 540 per quintal.

Talking to pressmen here on Sunday, Mr Angrez Singh, vice-president of the union, alleged that more than 20 lakh bags have been accumulating in the grain markets and purchase centres in the district, causing panic among farmers.