Relax moisture content limit for wheat grains: Surjewala

Says grain markets in Karnal, Nissing, Jundla, Gharaunda, Assandh, Nilokheri, Kaithal, Guhla Cheeka, Pundri, Pai, Dhandh, Ismailabad, Shahbad, Pehowa, Jhansa, Bilaspur, Jagadhari, Yamunanagar, Rohtak were waterlogged.

Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday demanded relaxation in moisture specifications for wheat as unseasonal rainfall had damaged the harvested crop.

He asked the state government to increase the moisture content limit for wheat from 12% to 18%.

Addressing mediapersons here on Sunday, Surjewala criticised the government for its failure to provide adequate arrangements for coverage of the wheat harvest lying in the open in grain markets. He said grain markets in Karnal, Nissing, Jundla, Gharaunda, Assandh, Nilokheri, Kaithal, Guhla Cheeka, Pundri, Pai, Dhandh, Ismailabad, Shahbad, Pehowa, Jhansa, Bilaspur, Jagadhari, Yamunanagar, Rohtak were waterlogged.

“The net consequences of mismanagement and ill-preparations of state government have resulted in destruction of crop. But the M L Khattar government refuses to acknowledge this. We demand that it’s still not too late to increase the limit of moisture content from 12 to 18%,” he added.

Referring to effect of unseasonal rains, Surjewala said that massive losses had occurred in Kaithal, Kalayat, Pundri, Cheeka, Karnal, Yamunanagar and Rohtak. The BJP-JJP government should immediately take responsibility for the purchase of lakhs of quintals of wheat lying drenched due to rains, he said.

22 LAKH MT WHEAT PROCURED LAST WEEK

Procurement agencies in Haryana have purchased around 22.41 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat from nearly 1.48 lakh farmers in the last seven days. The wheat procurement began on April 20. Additional chief secretary (agriculture) Sanjeev Kaushal stated that 3 lakh MT wheat was procured from 21,144 farmers on Sunday. He added that 10,827 MT mustard was procured from 3,911 farmers on Sunday. The total mustard procured was 2.52 lakh MT.