Strap: Harvesting yet to start in Haryana, UP farmers selling basmati at higher prices of ₹3,500 per quintal
While paddy harvesting in Haryana will take at least a month, farmers from Uttar Pradesh are making the most of the jump in the basmati prices in Haryana’s Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) or mandis by selling their produce at the highest prices logged in the past 10 years.
According to officials monitoring the arrival of paddy, around 10 lakh quintal has already been sold in Karnal mandis and more than 95% of the produce had come from UP.
Farmers from the border districts of Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Baghpat in UP are making a beeline for mandis in Haryana and selling their early maturing Pusa 1509 variety of basmati between ₹3,500 to ₹4,000 per quintal.
“We have bought around 25,000 bags (each containing 50kg) of paddy since its arrival began in the mandi from June last week. Entire paddy has come from farmers of UP,” said Rakesh Kumar, a bookkeeper of Karnal’s new grain market.
Dual profit
Due to no ban on early transplantation, most of the farmers from UP grow two paddy crops in one kharif season, which helps them harvest three crops in a year.
“Since June 15, I have sold the produce of 40 acres in Karnal mandi at ₹3,500 to ₹3,800 per quintal. We have resown 17 acres of paddy after selling first crop last month. The second paddy crop will be harvested by the first week of November, hence we will get enough time to grow mustard or wheat,” said Akram Khan, 65, a farmer from Shamli in UP.
{{/usCountry}}“Since June 15, I have sold the produce of 40 acres in Karnal mandi at ₹3,500 to ₹3,800 per quintal. We have resown 17 acres of paddy after selling first crop last month. The second paddy crop will be harvested by the first week of November, hence we will get enough time to grow mustard or wheat,” said Akram Khan, 65, a farmer from Shamli in UP.
{{/usCountry}}“But it is for the first time we have seen such a rise in the prices of Pusa 1509 in the past 10 years. We have earned around ₹70,000 per acre from the first crop and will get equal amount from the second crop of paddy in November if the prices remain same,” he added.
Haryana farmers worried about price drop
However, farmers in Haryana are eagerly waiting for the harvesting.
“Due to the ban, we cannot not transplant paddy nursery before June 15. Now, our crop will be harvested after September 15 and we fear that the prices may drop when our crop will be ready for sale after September 15,” said a farmer, Sunil Kumar, of Karnal’s Gharaunda, who has grown paddy on 21 acres.
Another farmer, Ajaib Singh, from Karnal’s Indri said the government should ensure that prices of basmati varieties remain the same. “Traders from Haryana are now buying paddy from UP farmers and when arrival in the mandis will increase after harvesting in Haryana, the private buyers will buy it at their own prices,” he added.
Traders, meanwhile, said that rice millers were buying paddy because of the demand, but the prices may come down if restriction is imposed on export.
UP farmers for APMCs on Haryana pattern
Chaudhary Islam, a farmer from Tisang village under Shamli district of UP, who has sold his produce grown on around 25 acres in Karnal new grain market, said the farmers in UP also want the government to set up such mandis at every block in their state on the pattern of Haryana.
Farmers said there are small purchase centres in UP, but big traders do not buy directly from farmers. Small traders purchase the produce from farmers at their own prices and later sell it in Haryana mandis, they added.
“We are selling our produce to private traders and the government agencies will procure only parmal varieties. We want the UP government to also provide a platform to its farmers as we have to travel to over 60km on tractor to sell our produce in Haryana,” said Chaudhary, while adding that they face problems in selling parmal varieties and wheat which is procured by government agencies on Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal.