Wheat starts arriving but procurement yet to begin in Haryana mandis
Wheat procurement in Haryana faces delays due to pending contractor finalisation and shortage of gunny bags, despite rising arrivals at mandis. Farmers, troubled by high crop moisture and waiting conditions, are frustrated. Meanwhile, seed dealers began a 7-day strike against stricter amendments to the Seeds and Insecticides Act, sparking criticism from farmers who demand strict action against counterfeit seed sellers.
Even as the arrival of wheat has picked up at the grain markets across the state, procurement is yet to begin primarily due to the non-finalisation of labour and transport contractors as well as absence of gunny bags.
Farmers have raised concerns that due to the said issues in the operations and high moisture content in the crop, they have been left helpless and are forced to wait at the mandis as their crop is spread under the sun in the open.
Official sources said that the delay in procurement was due to high moisture content above the prescribed limit of 12%.
Rajnish Chaudhary, president of the Karnal Arhtiyas’ Association, said that the delivery of gunny bags has started at the grain markets, but the wheat arrival is still slow.
Data from the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board (HSAMB) shows the total wheat arrival of 4,888 quintals in Karnal till date this season but nil purchase by any agency so far.
Anil Kumar, district food civil supplies and consumer affairs (DFSC) officer, said that arrival at three purchase centres — Karnal, Assandh and Indri is good, but minimal at 20 others in the district.
“The process to finalise the transport and labour contractors is likely by April 8 after which the procurement and other operations like lifting and loading will commence,” he added.
Officials in the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department said that the districts have completed the process on their part and the decision on the contractors will be taken at the earliest.
Protest against Seed & Insecticides Act
The seeds and insecticide producers and dealers of Haryana on Monday began their seven-day strike in protest against the amendments made in the Seeds and Insecticides Act by the state government.
The decision for strike was taken at a state-level meeting at Kurukshetra on Sunday, where the producers and dealers collectively registered their resentment against the new provisions and formed a 23-member committee to deal with the matter.
The Haryana Seeds Producers’ Association said there are over 500 big seed producers, around 10,000 big seed dealers and nearly 5,000 small-time dealers in Haryana and have collectively raised their voice against the amendments as it would promote corrupt practices.
The association in a statement said the new provisions make offences under the Act non-bailable and cognisable and a fine of ₹1 lakh to 5 lakh, and one to three years of imprisonment, unlike earlier when there was a fine of ₹500 for the first offence and ₹1,000 fine, and 1-year imprisonment for the second offence.
Pal Singh Dhaliwal, president of the body, said that under the new amendments, if the germination of seeds is below 80%, action will be taken against the producer and the dealer.
“But as a matter of fact, there could be many factors behind the lower germination like the unfavourable weather conditions, dormancy period and others. We have called for a strike for seven days and if the demand is not accepted, we will go on an indefinite strike. No seed will be supplied to dealers in the entire state,” he added.
Rajkumar Gupta, a seed dealer in Ambala, said Haryana’s seed producers were well known in the country for providing quality seeds, but the new provisions will only make them suffer and dealers might have to abandon the business.
Meanwhile, farmers criticised the move by the body and said that the government must take action.
Gaje Singh, a farmer from Karnal, said, “They (dealers) sell duplicate seeds to us that leads to high losses. And now only they are striking. Government should take action against them.”
Voicing the concern, another farmer Roshan Sharna said that if the dealers were selling good quality products, they would not have agitated. “Rather government should stay on their stand and not change the new provisions under their pressure,” he added.
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Source : Hindustan Times
