Commission agents threaten to boycott wheat procurement
Hours after the Centre relaxed the uniform specifications for shrivelled and broken grains to up to 18 per cent against the existing limit of 6 per cent of wheat with value cut ranging from Rs 5.31 to Rs 31.87 per quintal, the arhtiyas association of the state announced not to involve in the procurement if the value cut was not specified for each heap of wheat at the time of procurement.
We would not issue J-Forms to farmers, which is mandatory for the procurement, said Ashok Gupta, state president, Haryana State Anaj Mandi Arhtiyas’ Association, after a meeting with office-bearers at the Karnal grain market on Tuesday.
The association also demanded the government should bear the value cut on lustre loss and broken grains instead of charging from farmers.
“At the time of procurement, we are not informed about the extent of lustre loss, and broken grains. When we send the grains to godowns, a deduction is made on the total quantity sent to godown instead of an individual purchase of each farmer,” said Gupta while interacting with mediapersons.
“We should be informed about the value cut to each farmer, so that farmers should be aware about it. We demand the government to bear this loss as the farming community has already been facing huge losses,” he demanded.
“If we are not informed about the value cut on each heap of wheat, we will not issue J-Form and will not be involved in the procurement process,” said Rajnish Chaudhary, president, Karnal Arhtiyas Association.
FARMERS BLOCK ROAD IN TOHANA
Farmers blocked the Ratia-Tohana road in Tohana after the procurement was stopped due to slow lifting and shortage of gunny bags for filling the procured grain. The farmers kept the road blocked for nearly four hours and alleged that shortage of gunny bags has resulted in delay in weighing of the procured grain.
WITHDRAW LETTER: CHARUNI TO CENTRE
Expressing dissatisfaction over the conditions imposed in wheat procurement, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni today said the government should withdraw its letter, else farmers will block the roads outside the mandis on April 13 in Haryana and Punjab.
