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Rain, protest halts paddy procurement in Ludhiana
The farmers, who have had to drive their paddy harvests from distant locations to the mandis, are either travelling to Haryana’s grain markets to sell their produce or waiting indefinitely at the Khanna grain market, Asia’s largest.
: A recent spell of rain coupled with the ongoing state-level protest by the sheller union has resulted in a complete halt of the paddy procurement and lifting operations in the grain markets in Ludhiana district.
Due to this, the farmers, who have had to drive their paddy harvests from distant locations to the mandis, are either travelling to Haryana’s grain markets to sell their produce or waiting indefinitely at the Khanna grain market, Asia’s largest.
Sukhveer Singh, a 46-year-old farmer, who brought 1.5 quintals of paddy from Tonsa village to the Khanna grain market, said, “I have been waiting since morning for the arhtiyas to procure my paddy. Due to the protest, we are now compelled to spend the night here beside our heaps of paddy, waiting for its procurement. There are no sheds, restrooms, or facilities in the area, making the situation even more challenging as it may rain as the forecast suggests.”
Khanna SDM Swati Tiwana said, “The moisture levels in the paddy have exceeded the permissible limits, resulting in a halt in bidding. Our procurement has been minimal over the past two days due to the rain impeding farmers’ harvesting activities. Regarding the ongoing protest, we anticipate reaching a satisfactory resolution by tomorrow (Wednesday) to ensure swift resumption of work,” Tiwana said.
She said the strike’s influence on procurement and lifting operations has been relatively minor compared to the impact of the recent rainfall.
With only 30% of the total paddy harvest reaching the markets due to the protest, labourers at the Khanna grain market, Asia’s largest, are facing shortage of work.
Chairman of the Punjab labour union, Darshan Lal Khanna, said, “Labourers are struggling to earn their daily wages due to this unprecedented protest. A day before rain dampened the procurement and now this protest. When the rest of the farmers in the region start bringing in their produce, the market may be overwhelmed by management issues.”
Despite several attempts, the members of the sheller union at the Khanna grain market were unavailable for comments.
