After the ultimatum to start paddy procurement on September 20 expired, farmers and activists affiliated with Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Charuni will lay siege to the Delhi-Chandigarh highway at Shahbad town in Kurukshetra on Tuesday.
Union’s Yamunanagar president Sanju Gudiana said the farmers will start gathering near the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh around 10 am and then block the highway on both sides indefinitely.
Gudiana, also member of the union’s core committee, said they have not yet received any formal invitation from the state government.
In a video message released, Charuni said, “The government intentionally delayed the purchase from September 20 and now we are also ready for a roadblock. I’ve appealed to all the office-bearers to engage directly with their workers over the phone and inform them about the protest. The government opened the Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal for pending registration, but there is no announcement for purchase yet.”
On a query regarding administration’s invitation for a meeting, Kurukshetra deputy commissioner (DC) Vishram Kumar Meena did not respond to calls or messages.
Kurukshetra superintendent of police (SP) Chander Mohan was also unavailable for comment on the police deployment.
{{/usCountry}}Kurukshetra superintendent of police (SP) Chander Mohan was also unavailable for comment on the police deployment.
{{/usCountry}}This comes five days after the union led by its president Gurnam Singh Charuni had gathered at Shahbad grain market on Wednesday to discuss the issue and push for their demand on early purchase of paddy and bajra for September 15.
However, it came to light that the state government had written to the Union government requesting paddy procurement for the kharif marketing season 2026-27 from September 20.
Usually, the season starts on October 1 but was advanced to September 22 last year following farmers’ requests. Similarly this year, farmers sought an early procurement.
After the meeting, Charuni announced a highway blockade on September 22, if the government fails to start the purchase on Sunday.
On Saturday, Haryana agriculture and farmer’s welfare minister Shyam Singh Rana told reporters in Karnal that the majority of paddy currently arriving at mandis is basmati, adding that formal procurement will commence once field verification of the crop is complete.
Rana is also scheduled to meet his cabinet colleagues Rajesh Nagar and Vipul Goel in Chandigarh, along with concerned officials for a joint co-ordination meeting. Sources said preparations were underway at the grain markets and other purchase centers in the state, for a smooth procurement process.
However, one of the official quoted above said, the non-registration of rice millers for the season, particularly in Karnal due to their pending issues with the state government, is likely to delay the process.
Karnal district food and supplies controller (DFSC) Mukesh Kumar said they were in touch with the rice millers of Ambala, if their issue is not resolved.
On the other hand, another farmers’ union has registered its protest against a recent order that said, only paddy with 17 % moisture will only be allowed to enter the market.
BKU (Sir Chotu Ram) spokesperson Bahadur Mehla said, “Farmer organisations have been continuously demanding that the moisture content should be increased from 17 % to 20 % .”
“Protests were held several times, but flaws were visible in both the intention and policy of the government. Since the crop is harvested with a combine and the farmers do not have such a system, they should dry it and bring it. The order should be withdrawn,” he added.