Commission agents threaten to launch indefinite strike from Oct 1

The procurement of paddy which is set to begin on October 1 is likely to be jeopardized in the district as commission agents, on a call by the Federation of Arhtiya Association, Punjab, have decided to go on an indefinite strike and boycott the process. Additionally, rice millers in the district have given a call to boycott the storage of paddy in their mills as well as milling on account of a shortage of space.

Addressing the media, Sadhu Ram Bhattmajra, district president and Rajesh Singla, state press secretary of the federation said commission agents of the state had been submitting memorandums to the union as well as state governments, regarding their demands to increase their commission and labour charges. They said earlier agents received 2.5 per cent commission but the Union Government had decreased it and fixed it to Rs 45.38 per quintal. Similarly they had fixed labour charges for loading and unloading at Rs1.80, while they had to bear a cost of Rs 3 for it, causing a loss of Rs1.20 per quintal. They said in Haryana the labour charges, fixed by the Union Government, were Rs 3. They said they had urged both the governments to consider their demands and to restore 2.5 per cent commission and to pay labour charges similar to Haryana’s. They said if their demands were not met, they would boycott the procurement process for an indefinite period and launch a strike on October 1.

Rice millers said their godowns were full and there was no space to store milled rice. They said they were yet to deliver milled rice to procurement agencies.