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Nearly 14 lakh MT wheat procured but Haryana farmers await payment
This even as the state government had made tall claims that it is well-equipped to disburse the payments into the bank accounts of farmers within 72 hours of the procurement.
It has been 13 days since government agencies in Haryana started wheat procurement on a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,125 a quintal but farmers are yet to get their payments.
This even as the state government had made tall claims that it is well-equipped to disburse the payments into the bank accounts of farmers within 72 hours of the procurement.
As per government figures, close to 18 MT wheat has arrived in the market since April 1, out of which nearly 14 MT has been procured. But so far, payments against these are yet to be disbursed.
Krishan Lal, a farmer, revealed that he had sold his produce worth ₹2.65 lakh at the Ladwa grain market but he is yet to get the payment. “I don’t know why the payment has been delayed, or how long it will take,” he said.
State Agriculture Marketing Board officials said the actual procurement in the state had started after April 6 as unseasonal rains had delayed harvesting.
Arhtiyas, meanwhile, are of the view that the payments have been delayed due to lack of clarity on the value cut to be imposed on damaged and shrivelled grains.
A commission agent, on the condition of anonymity, said, “We helped the farmers sell their produce and gate passes were generated but J-forms were not issued in view of lack of clarity over the value cut. Now, the government has cleared its stand that it will bear the cost of value cut, so we have generated J-forms of around 3,000 bags procured so far.”
Officials, on the other hand, said that payments were delayed as they had to update the procurement software after making changes for the value cut.
Pankaj Agarwal, commissioner and secretary, Haryana food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department, said earlier, there were some issues with the quality of wheat and the issue was taken up with the Government of India.
“On April 10, the Centre had issued a letter allowing the procurement of damaged grains with value cut on permissible levels of lustre loss. The state government has decided to bear the value cut but we had to make changes in the software so that value cut could be clarified to the procurement agency,” he said, adding that now all formalities have been completed and disbursement of payment will start within a day or two.
