Chandigarh, September 6
The delay in announcement of the minimum support price (MSP) and the date from which the procurement of paddy by official agencies would start notwithstanding, farmers bringing paddy to various grain markets in Punjab are being forced to resort to distress sale of their produce.

Against the MSP of Rs 530 per quintal for common variety and Rs 726 for grade-A paddy last year, the farmers are getting between Rs 391 and Rs 625 per quintal. This is in spite of the fact that the cost of production has gone up substantially this time because of the drought-like situation in the state.

The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, is expected to visit the union Capital shortly for a meeting with the Union Agriculture and Food Ministers to impress upon them the need for early announcement of the MSP for paddy and also to urge them to advance the entry of official agencies in the grain markets to September 21 from October 1.

The Punjab Government has also recommended not only an increase in the MSP for paddy but also demanded a special bonus because of the increased cost of production due to drought-related factors.The MSP recommended by the Punjab Government is Rs 660 for common variety and Rs 726 for grade-A paddy.

The farmers not only depended heavily upon diesel-generated water pumps to meet their irrigational requirements but also paid more for common inputs, including fertilisers, diesel, insecticides and pesticides.

Reports indicate that Amritsar, Khanna, Machhiwara and other major grain markets in the Majha and Malwa belts started receiving fresh produce of paddy last week. In the Majha belt, farmers were being forced to sell their advanced varieties of paddy for rates varying between Rs 391 and Rs 625 a quintal for common and A-grade varieties, respectively, which is almost Rs 100 to Rs 140 a quintal lower than last year’s MSP.

In the Malwa belt, procurement, , mostly by private shellers, was being done at a rate varying between Rs 411 and Rs 455 a quintal for the common variety.

Against the procurement of 110.66 lakh metric tonnes of paddy last year, production this time is expected to be about 106.75 lakh metric tonnes.

Interestingly, the Punjab Government has decided to close down all those dormant procurement centres where little or no paddy arrived last time. As such against 1672 purchase centres last year, this time the number would be 1460 centres.