SKM to hold chakka jam at grain markets

Farmers are set to shutdown work at grain markets on Friday. Prem Singh Bhangu, a leader of the Samyukt Kisaan Morcha, said the preparations for chakka jam from 11 am to 3 pm in front of the main markets against the tardy purchase and lifting of paddy are complete.

They said despite assurances by the Chief Minister there has been no improvement. The farm leaders said they gave the government five days to get the procurement process back to normal; however, the stalemate between the rice millers and the government still persists.

They said rice millers were not lifting PR 126 and hybrid varieties from the markets that were sown by the farmers on an assurance from the government.He said rice millers, conniving with the commission agents, are imposing a cut from Rs 150 to 200 in the purchase of these varieties, which causes a huge loss to the farmers. In fact, the Centre and state governments discouraged the farmers from sowing the paddy next year and thus are indirectly implementing three repealed farm laws that intended the market system, MSP and procurement for leaving it to the corporate sector.