Forced to sell produce Rs 150 below MSP: Fazilka farmers

Farmers under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupura) locked the main gate of the Fazilka Market Committee today to protest against procurement of paddy below the minimum support price (MSP).

Pragat Singh Chakpakhi, district chief, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupura), said, they got tired of holding repeated talks with the authorities concerned for the 10 days over the matter.

As members of the farm union locked the main gate, chairman and secretary of the Fazilka Market Committee could not move out of their office for three hours.

After getting assurance from District Mandi Officer Salodh Kumar Bishnoi to accept their demands, the protesters unlocked the main gate.

Chakpakhi said even he had been asked to sell his produce Rs 150 below than the MSP. The authorities were also imposing Rs 10 to Rs 15 kg cut in weight on pretext of high moisture content and low quality, he claimed.

Farmer Kulbir Singh claimed that the paddy was being procured indirectly by rice millers instead of procurement agency officials, thus causing financial losses to them. Several farmers also alleged that commission agents, procurement agency officials and millers were hand in glove.

Sandeep Raheja, secretary, Fazilka Market Committee, said, the DMO had assured the farmers that they would not face any problem in future and stern action would be taken if anyone was found involved in purchasing paddy below the MSP.

He said his office had also directed commission agents to issue weighing slips on their letter pads instead of a white paper, as demanded by the farmers.