E-Paper
Worried over private trading of wheat outside mandis, Haryana govt swings into action
Inspection teams formed, checkposts installed to monitor movement and trading of wheat procured without paying market committee fee and rural development funds
Amid reports of trading of wheat and mustard outside mandis without payment of market fee and rural development funds by private traders, the Haryana government has decided to inspect procurement by private traders and checkposts have been installed to track movement of foodgrains purchased outside mandis.
A letter issued from the office of chief administrator, the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, to all zonal administrators and district marketing enforcement officers mentioned that due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the international market prices of wheat are increasing beyond the MSP.
Private traders and millers are purchasing wheat directly from farmers and trading the produce to other states or exporting it without paying market fees and HRDF, leading to fall in arrival and procurement in mandis.
“To detect this evasion of market fee and HRDF, the HSAMB has decided to install checkposts and nakas at inter-state borders to check unauthorised inter-state trade of wheat,” reads the letter.
Checkposts have been established at Jharoda in Jhajjar, Ochandi and Kundali in Sonepat, Bawal in Rewari, Mathura road in Faridabad, Bhatinda road in Dabwali, Talwandi road and Hanumangarh road in Sirsa, Balata road in Ratia, Patra road in Jakhal, Nohar road in Bhattu Kalan in Fatehabad, Barta Tohana road in Kalayat, Arnauli in Cheeka in Kaithal, and Data Singh in Narwana in Jind.
As per directions, the checkposts will be controlled and managed by the district marketing enforcement officers (DMEOs) and they are directed to depute market committee officials falling under their jurisdiction.
“You are directed to ensure that no wheat produce passes from Haryana to other states without depositing the due market fee and HRDF and recover the maximum penalty wherever required,” the letter reads, emphasising that a report of each outgoing vehicle carrying agricultural produce be submitted.
Also, the officials have been directed to complete verification of wheat and mustard sold inside and outside the mandi yards during RMS 2022-23, by May 25.
Additional chief secretary to agriculture and farmers welfare department Sumita Misra has confirmed the development and said joint teams of marketing board and agriculture department officials, besides 24 teams of ZMEOs and DMEOs, are to track movement of wheat being purchased outside mandis and recover market committee fee and HRDF.
She said total 52 inspections have been made and ₹41.32 lakh have been recovered from 33 inspections so far.
There is no official data available of the wheat purchased by private traders, but arrival of wheat was 15-20% less in mandis, giving boost to speculations of trading of wheat outside mandis.
Also, arrival in mandis is not as per expected production filled by the farmers on the ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ portal. As per reports, of total 56 lakh quintal wheat that arrived in mandis of Karnal, private traders have purchased nearly three lakh quintal on record.
Ground officials in the mandis and arhtiyas, pleading anonymity, said private traders will avoid buying wheat from the mandis as they have to pay 2% market fee, 2% HRDF and 2.5% commission to arhtiyas. Though, more than 90% farmers are associated with arhtiyas and do not sell their produce without their consent.
Private traders can buy wheat without paying charges but they have to pay a minimum amount above the MSP to appease the farmers and show no or less production on the MFMB portal.
Also, to divert the attention of authorities from private trading, they are giving plea of poor yield but there is no record about wheat production of every farmer.
