Arhtiyas threaten protest over tardy lifting of wheat
Despite the district administration keeping an eye on the wheat procurement process, wheat bags remain piled up at various grain markets in the district. Commission agents at the Mehmadpur grain market on the Sangrur road here have threatened to launch a protest.
Meanwhile, low fodder yield has left the marginal farmers and dairy owners worried over the availability and hike in its prices.
Soni Garg, a commission agent at the Mehmadpur grain market, said, “The lifting process is going on at a tardy pace. There is a lack of vehicles for the process of lifting and transportation of wheat bags. There is also discontentment among the transportation contractors and truck drivers over the charges to be paid to them for the process. We have been facing this problem for long. The arhtiyas (commission agents) here have decided to hold a protest and block the Patiala-Sangrur Highway in case the administration fails to fast track the lifting process.”
“So far, only 1.70 lakh wheat bags have been filled, of which, only 10,000 to 15,000 bags have been lifted,” he said.
Meanwhile, farmers said they were registering a low fodder yield. A farmer of Seona village here said, “This time ,the wheat straw was affected due to strong winds and hailstorm. The farmers are witnessing a low yield of fodder, which has led to an increase in its price,” he said.
Farmers said the fodder can be sold for Rs 5,000 per truck, but the marginal farmers who are dependent on it are witnessing losses. “Also, the fodder, due to low availability, is available at high prices for milk dairy owners,” the farmer said.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said nearly 42 per cent of the procured wheat had been lifted from the grain markets. She said a total of 8,46,414 metric tonne (MT) of wheat had reached the grain markets. Of this, 8,46,354 MT had already been procured.
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