26,000 quintal wheat reaches Karnal mandis, only 450 quintal ..
KARNAL: Of the 26,616 quintal wheat arrivals in various grain markets of the Karnal district, only 450 quintal have been procured so far. As per the official data, most grains coming to the mandi did not meet the procurement criteria due to higher moisture content.
An official said as per norms, the produce should not have more than 12% moisture content, but almost all of the stock arriving in mandis had moisture content between 16% and 18%. The weather-hit have farmers demanded that the government gave relaxation in moisture content rules in view of the inclement weather this year.
“I brought my produce to Karnal mandi on April 1. The official of the procurement agency visited the heaps of my produce and rejected it saying it has 16% moisture content,” said Santokh Singh, a farmer from Karnal.
Rajneesh Chaudhary, president of the Karnal Arhtiya Association, said, The newly harvested wheat has lost its luster due to recent spells of untimely rains and hailstorms. It has also added to moisture content in grain. I have written to the district food and supply control demanding relaxation in the norms.”
Ishwar Rana, district marketing enforcement officer, said the moisture content in produce was too high. All single grain of the farmers will be procured on MSP when it fulfills the procurement criteria. The farmers have been advised to dry their produce in the sunlight, he said.
