In Muktsar, mere 20% procured paddy lifted

So far, just 20 per cent of paddy purchased has been lifted from mandis in Muktsar district. As a result, there’s hardly any space to unload more grain in the markets.

According to information, a total of 59,904 MT produce had arrived in the mandis till Monday, of which 39,059 MT had been purchased. However, just 7,781 MT had been lifted so far.

Ranjodh Singh, a farmer, said, “The festive season has started and we are sitting at grain markets to sell our produce. The situation is getting worse. Senior officers should visit the mandis at the earliest.” Another farmer Gurjit Singh claimed that the procurement agencies were not even buying the produce on a daily basis.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring today visited the grain market at Kotbhai village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment and appealed to the state government to increase the pace of lifting or they would lodge a protest.

Warring said, “The farmers have informed me that only those commission agents who own rice mills were taking the produce to their units and the rest was lying in mandis. In case, it rains, who will be responsible for the losses incurred by the farmers? There are also reports that the paddy was being purchased below the minimum support price. The state government should pay attention to the plight of farmers.”

He claimed that the Centre and the state government were harassing the farming community.