Farmers felicitated for paddy with proper moisture content

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 18

Commission agents at some grains markets and purchase centres of the area have adopted a novel method to persuade paddy cultivators to bring their produce after ensuring standard moisture content.

Farmers bringing paddy with less than 17 per cent moisture content are being felicitated by commission agents.

Pakhowal and Sarabha grain markets have emerged pioneers among the centres where the gesture shown by the commission agents has been welcomed by farmers.

Harvesting of paddy with the desired moisture content has always been a major issue in this part of the Malwa region. Commission agents and rice sheller owners have normally remained sandwiched between officials of various food procurement agencies and cultivators.

While procurement agency officials try to stick to the parameters recommended from time to time, farmers prefer harvesting the crop without waiting for ideal ripening and drying.

Contrary to the earlier trend when only a fraction of heaps used to be spread on the floor for further drying, a majority of the heaps are required to be spread for achieving the standard moisture content. The officials, however, impress upon commission agents not to make farmers shun this practice.

Acknowledging the tendency, Avtar Krishan Sharma, a commission agent at the local grain market, apprehended that a dip in the mercury during the harvesting period would further compound the problem as moisture would not easily decline from 20 per cent.

Though the highest milling potential of the paddy is supposed to be at 14 per cent, government agencies have allowed moisture content of 17 per cent. Paddy will be affected whether the moisture content is too high or too low. The delay in drying wet paddy normally causes quality deterioration and discoloration which occurs within 2-3 days after harvesting.

Ashok Malhotra, a commission agent at Pakhowal, said the moisture content remained no problem after a group of commission agents and traders started felicitating cultivators bringing paddy after proper drying.

“As a majority of the farmers brought paddy without ascertaining moisture content without any ulterior motive, we have decided to educate them about the necessity of drying the yield before bringing for procurement. We have also decided to felicitate those farmers who brought commodity with proper moisture content,” said Malhotra.

Appreciating the gesture shown by the commission agents, Punjab Kissan Sabha vice-president Baldev Singh Latala said due respect accorded to farmers would work wonders during the ensuing season and all stakeholders would benefit from the tendency to harvest the dry crop only.