E-Paper
Slow paddy lifting chokes mandis in Haryana
The delay, reportedly caused by a shortage of transport and labourers, has disrupted operations and forced farmers to dry their high-moisture produce outside the mandis.
As paddy harvesting nears its end, several mandis across Haryana remain overcrowded with tractor-trolleys lined up outside purchase centres due to slow lifting of procured stock. The delay, reportedly caused by a shortage of transport and labourers, has disrupted operations and forced farmers to dry their high-moisture produce outside the mandis.
The space crunch has become a major concern for arhtiyas, rice millers and authorities alike. “Due to slow lifting, there’s no space to even enter the grain market,” said Ajaypreet Singh, a farmer from Ambala. Another farmer, Sushil Sharma from Assandh in Karnal, said the long queues outside mandis have caused traffic congestion and increased the risk of road accidents.
According to the procurement data sourced from the department, out of 35,34,452 MT of paddy purchased by the agencies, 27,11,225 MT has been lifted from the mandis so far, which is nearly 76%.
Major paddy producing places like Fatehabad recorded only 64% lifting till 8.30 am of Friday, followed by Karnal with 65%, 76% procured crop has been lifted in Kaithal, 80% in Ambala, 88% in Kurukshetra and 93% in Yamunanagar, the data shows.
The data also shows that nearly 3,57,896 MT of the crop was lying at the mandis unbought.
The prevailing situation even forced authorities to temporarily stop new arrivals of paddy at some purchase centres of Karnal district earlier this week.
Frustrated by the delays, farmers and BKU (Charuni) activists protested at the Kurukshetra mini-secretariat. Union president Gurnam Singh Charuni was booked on Wednesday for allegedly slapping the Kurukshetra district food and civil supplies controller.
Activists on Friday also alleged illegal paddy purchases in Karnal from Uttar Pradesh farmers and intercepted several trucks near the inter-state border overnight.
Karnal Rice Millers and Dealers Association president Saurabh Gupta said millers had to suspend procurement for a day to clear space, but the relief was temporary. “Lifting is slow due to a shortage of trucks and labourers, worsened by the festival season and elections in Bihar,” he said.
Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena assured that farmers will not be allowed to face any difficulties during the ongoing season.
He warned against misbehaviour with officials and said HCS officers have been appointed at every mandi to ensure smooth procurement, lifting, and payment. “If anyone faces an issue, they can approach the market committee secretary, food supply inspector, or the HCS officer posted in the mandi,” he said.
