Follow Us
Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 22
The high moisture content in wheat because of untimely rains last week could play a dampener for lakhs of farmers in the state. Since moisture in the grain is higher than the specifications, farmers will get lesser price than the MSP of Rs 1840 per quintal.
According to procurement norms, in case the moisture content is higher and the grain is discoloured, it can be bought by procurement agencies, but with a cut in the MSP. For each percentage increase in moisture content, the MSP will be Rs 18.40 per quintal less than the actual.
In case of the moisture content being 14 per cent, the MSP will be Rs 1803.20 per quintal. If moisture content is more than that, the crop will not be bought by the government agencies.
In an election year, this does not go well for any political party in power. Perhaps, realising its implications, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has shot off letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention for relaxing specifications in the current season, without making any value cut. The CM has also asked Modi to depute a team of experts to assess the loss in quality of wheat due to recent rains so that suitable revised specifications can be laid down.
Information gathered by The Tribune from state mandis reveal that the moisture content in wheat is between 13 per cent and 15 per cent. What is more worrisome is the fact that at several places, including Khanna mandi, the procurement was minimal as state agencies as well as Food Corporation of India officials felt that the grain was discoloured.
Harbans Singh Rosha, a commission agent in Khanna, told The Tribune that of the 50,000 quintals of wheat that farmers brought to Khanna mandi today, only about 5,000 quintals was purchased because of both discolouration as well as high moisture. Jaspal Singh of Mallobal village, who had got 80 quintals of wheat to be sold to procurement agencies, said his crop was not accepted as it was more towards white in colour.
MS Sarang, deputy general manager, FCI, Punjab region, said the matter was brought to his notice, but initial reports suggested that there was no discoloration in grain, but the colour was whiter because of a different variety of wheat sown. “I have asked for samples to be collected and examined,” he said.
When contacted, Sutantar Kumar Airi, Director Agriculture, said high moisture was a cause of concern, so they were asking farmers to dry the grain as the days had become hot and dry now. “The moisture content increased only in cases where harvested grain had been left in the open, and not in the standing crop,” he said.
Anandita Mitra, Director, Food Supplies, said the moisture content would decrease soon. She assured that the procurement, although less than last year, was going well. “Of the 8.94 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat that arrived in the state till today, 6.54 lakh MT has been purchased,” she said.
Of the 50,000 quintals of wheat that farmers brought to Khanna mandi today, only about 5,000 quintals was purchased because of both discolouration as well as high moisture. — Harbans Singh Rosha, Commission Agent
High moisture is a cause of concern, so we are asking farmers to dry the grain as the days have become hot and dry now. — Sutantar Kumar Airi, Director, Agriculture
4
6