Paddy moisture should be checked at entry points of mandis, say arhtiyas

With the paddy arriving at only 22 of the total 46 purchase centres in the district, 1,466 MT paddy is still waiting to be procured due to various reasons.

Deviation from standard moisture content has been identified as the major impediment in the smooth procurement process and commission agents were finding it difficult to stop the farmers from dumping moist crops in yards.

Appreciating that the administration led by DC Pallavi had called upon farmers through various means to bring crop that conforms to standard moisture content of less than 17 per cent, commission agents have urged the authorities concerned to advise personnel of procurement agencies to check the moisture content before allowing vehicles into the markets.

Perusal of records revealed that 26,611 MT paddy had arrived at the 22 grain markets and yards of the district till Friday morning and 25,145 MT had been purchased by various procurement agencies. The procurement was yet to start at one purchase centre, though some paddy had been dumped there.

A visit to various purchase centres revealed that labourers were busy spreading heaps of paddy to facilitate its drying in the sun.

Commission agents alleged that they had to face a double whammy due to alleged unconcern of government personnel of procurement agencies towards streamlining the entry of vehicles carrying dry paddy only. Avtar Krishan Sharma, a commission agent said, “As the moisture content is checked by the officials concerned when they visit mandis for procurement, we have to deploy extra labourers to spread the rejected heaps and farmers get upset with us.

Commission agents urged the administration to ensure that officials of procurement agencies should first check moisture content of the paddy at the entry point of the grain market or yard. They (commission agents) regretted that the government officials instead of regulating entry of vehicles carrying dry crop, only prefer to shift responsibility on commission agents by issuing circulars.

“All commission agents are advised to ensure that only paddy with moisture content less than 17 per cent should be dumped in the yard and the cultivator should be present near the heap during the procurement process,” reads the opening paragraph of a communiqué written by secretary of a market committee to commission agents.

Besides sensitising paddy growers about standard norms of the crop being brought to mandis through various means, the DC had called upon farmers to avoid embarrassment by fetching moist paddy.

Commission agents argued that they could not check entry and dumping of crops with higher moisture content as they have no authority to do so. “Instead of writing letters to commission agents, the authorities should manage to get the moisture content checked at the entry point,” they said.