Farmers lock grain market, protest procurement delay

Farmers in Karnal, Indri, and Assandh staged protests today against the delayed procurement of paddy, locking the main gate of the Indri grain market and holding a dharna outside the market committee office in Karnal. Another group of farmers blocked the Karnal-Assandh road.

Despite the presence of multiple procurement agencies, including the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, HAFED, and the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC), procurement efforts have been inadequate, leading to a standstill.

Under the banner of the BKU, farmers staged a dharna in the Karnal grain market before marching to the Market Committee office. Raising slogans against the administration, the protesters expressed frustration over the government’s failure to expedite procurement, despite meeting the required moisture standards for the crop.

“Farmers are upset about the government’s rule that paddy with up to 17 per cent moisture content will be procured at the minimum support price (MSP), but paddy with higher moisture content will not receive MSP. The paddy meets the required standards, yet it is not being procured, forcing us to protest,” said Rattan Mann, president of BKU.

“Every year, it is the same story. We bring our crops to the market, and strikes by millers or arhtiyas halt the procurement process. This time, our crops are lying under the open sky with no buyers in sight,” said Surinder Guhman, district president of BKU. After assurances from Market Committee Secretary Sanjeev Sachdeva and District Marketing Enforcement Officer Saurav Chaudhary, the farmers lifted their dharna but warned that they would hold a mahapanchayat on Wednesday if procurement is not resumed.