Despite procurement concerns, farmers go all out to back candidates

There is sense of fear and responsibility at the same time for the farmers as two most important events have coincided for them. Despite uncertainty related to paddy procurement, they are still actively involved in supporting their candidates in the panchayat elections as well. Both these factors have also resulted in delaying the harvesting.

Monday saw comparatively less rush of farmers in the main grain market here. A similar situation is likely to prevail even on Tuesday. The arrival of the paddy will increase manifolds from the next day of elections, say farmers.

“This is our profession,” says Lidhran village farmer Harpreet Singh, pointing towards his paddy produce. “And that is our ‘ghar da kamm’,” he says, referring to the panchayat elections. Farming and elections both are important for farmers, he says.

Harpreet Singh was accompanied by fellow farmers Gurnam Singh and Lakhbir Singh at the grain market. All of them shared the same sentiments.

In most of the villages, the candidates for the post of sarpanch are mostly farmers or belong to farmer families. Farmer Davinder Singh, from Nawanshahr said he had not harvested paddy so far as he was waiting for the situation in mandis to normalise and the panchayat elections to get over.

“We have to stand in support of our candidates. It is a mammoth task right now. There’s tension too because we don’t know the fate of our produce,” he added. “You will not see many farmers in mandi tomorrow as villagers will vote to elect their sarpanch,” says Sarabit Singh from Gakhala village.

Farmer Bhupinder Singh from Sidhupur village reached Lohian mandi in the morning. “I will not remain here for a long time today. I’ll go back to check the arrangements related to elections. But, I will come in the evening to check the situation in the mandi again,” he said. Tomorrow is a hectic day for farmers, he added.