Slow lifting of bajra in Gurugram raises concern among farmers

The Haryana Government, through the state warehouse corporation, has purchased 29,141 MT of bajra from 13,483 farmers at the minimum support price of Rs 2,625 per quintal in the district, said the Deputy Commissioner, Nishant Kumar Yadav.

He said out of the total of 29,141 MT, a total of 13,231 MT of the grains were still lying in the grain markets at Farrukhnagar, Sohna and Pataudi.

Yadav said 15,910 MT of bajra has been lifted from these three grain markets and transported to the godowns. He said bajra was sown in 84,000 acres of land by over 21,000 farmers in the district.

The DC said the lifting of the grains was slow; however, he said he had asked the authorities concerned to increase the labour force and vehicles so grains could be lifted and transported quickly.

There were reports that the farmers were complaining of less space in the grain markets due to slow lifting and transportation of the crop. Yadav said the farmers should bring their crop to the market only after drying and cleaning them, which would also help in easy purchase.

It may be mentioned that the farmers who had registered themselves on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal could come to the market any day and get their gate passes to being their crop in the markets for sale.

Meanwhile, the DC claimed proper arrangements for electricity, water and rest have been made at all three procurement centres. Yadav said help desks have also been set up for the convenience of farmers in these three markets, where a Patwari of the Revenue Department, an employee of the Agriculture Department, and one from the marketing board were present along with their associates to address the complaints of the farmers.