Wheat starts arriving in south Punjab mandis

Officials said no purchase was made on Thursday as procurement, which was delayed by 10 days due to Covid-19, will commence from April 10 across the state

Farmers started reaching mandis or purchase centres with harvested wheat in south Punjab on Thursday amid uncertainty over procurement and mode of payment.

Wheat starts arriving in south Punjab mandis

Officials said no purchase was made on Thursday as procurement, which was delayed by 10 days due to Covid-19, will commence from Saturday across the state. Officials are in a quandary as there is no clarity on the role of arhtiyas for staggered procurement.

“According to official instructions, wheat will be allowed to enter mandis after special permits are issued to farmers through arhtiyas. As commission agents have announced to boycott the procurement if authorities agree to mandatory direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode of payment to farmers, we have no clue how the purchase will begin,” said an official.

Farmers are a worried lot as the harvesting of the rabi crop will pick up pace from the next week.

Darshan Singh of Burj Hari village in Mansa district said that he started harvesting wheat on Wednesday on 40 acres of land, half of which was on lease, but there were no takers in the mandi. “The arhtiya at the local mandi told me that stocks of wheat will be bought after coupons are issued to farmers. It will burden me with extra labour cost as I will have to take wheat back home and then visit the mandi again after Saturday,” he said.

Mansa district mandi officer Ranjnish Goel said 336 passes were issued on Thursday and priority will be given to the farmers who have started reaching mandis with harvested wheat.

“Like the previous season, a farmer will be entitled to come to mandi with only 50 quintals. The coupons were issued to arhtiyas to invite farmers from Saturday,” he said.

Bathinda mandi officer Preet Kanwar Singh Brar said an estimated 200 coupons will be issued to arhtiyas on Friday.

“Wheat arrived at five mandis on Thursday and farmers have been told come with a specified moisture level of grains. All preparations are in place for smooth purchase,” said Brar.

Bathinda Arhtiya Association president Satish Kumar Babbu said commission agents are firm on their resolution to boycott rabi procurement if DBT and uploading of land records is made mandatory.

“If our demands are not met, arhtiyas across the state will not become part of coupon distribution exercise for procurement. The state leaders will take a final decision on Friday,” said Babbu.