Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday urged the Haryana government to understand the distress of farmers and buy every grain of their produce.
“Money is being deducted in the name of moisture content from farmers who are arriving with their mustard crops in the market. They are being denied full crop rates. The buying process is so complex that it is beyond the comprehension of most farmers. Instead of buying crops in one lot, farmers are being called to the mandis repeatedly. This increases the transportation expense and also forces them to make unnecessary trips to the mandi, thereby breaking lockdown and social distancing rules,” Hooda said.
He said the government has purchased about 5% mustard (of its estimated production) in the last three days. “Based on the trends so far and the arrangements made, it seems difficult if the government will be able to buy the entire crop within the schedule. Farmers are given one-day notice to sell their crops and they get the message only a day before the date of purchase. Therefore, it becomes difficult for them to make arrangements and reach Mandi at such a short notice,” Hooda said.
He said the government should coordinate with grain merchants and should make them the handling agents.
A spokesperson of the agriculture department said the procurement of mustard will continue till every grain is purchased. About 82,886 metric tonnes of mustard has been procured from 32,779 farmers in the first four days.
On Saturday, 9,303 farmers reported at the 163 procurement centres and about 25,263 metric tonnes of mustard was purchased by Hafed and State Warehousing Corporation, the spokesperson added.
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, 9,303 farmers reported at the 163 procurement centres and about 25,263 metric tonnes of mustard was purchased by Hafed and State Warehousing Corporation, the spokesperson added.
{{/usCountry}}Govt making more arrangements to purchase mustard: Dalal
Haryana agriculture minister Jai Prakash Dalal on Saturday visited the grain market of Mandi Adampur in Hisar district to check mustard procurement here. While addressing mediapersons, the minister said he came to know that at many areas some officials and commission agents are deducting the cost of mustard grain in the name of moisture content. He said strict action will be taken against such officials and commission agents if they reject mustard seeds of the farmers.
He said farmers must register themselves with the Meri Fasal portal. “The state government is making arrangements to purchase mustard from the farmers by making small grain markets in the villages,” Dalal added.