Bring only dry wheat to grain markets, DC tells farmers

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 23

The wheat procurement process is going on at a snail’s pace due to high moisture content in crop, which has led to a glut of wheat crop at the grain market in Bathinda.

As per official figures, 1,07,948 metric tonnes of wheat has arrived in the grain markets so far in the district. Of the wheat arrived, only 37,156 metric tonnes has been purchased, out of which only 2,811 metric tonnes of wheat has been lifted.

Union Minister and SAD candidate from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday visited the grain market at Naruana village and inspected the procurement process. She directed the officials concerned to redress the farmers’ grievances without any delay.

Deputy Commissioner B Srinivasan said the wheat procurement process had been started in the district and farmers would not face any problem. He said moisture content in the wheat crop had been checked as per the prescribed norms. He appealed to farmers to bring only dry wheat to the grain markets, so that they did not have to face any problem during the procurement process.

District Food and Supply Controller Atinder Kaur said till now Pungrain had purchased 11,543 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat, Markfed 11,025 MT, Punsap 5,985 MT, Punjab State Warehouse Corporation 5,680 MT, Punjab Agro 2,723 MT and the FCI 200 MT so far in the district.

Meanwhile, farmers said their crop was almost ready and it would hit the market by next week. Owing to the prolonged cold conditions this winter and a rise in temperature just at the right time indicate a bumper harvest. But untimely rain has delayed the crop due to moisture. Agriculture officials claimed that there was no issue at all and that the work was going on time.

The officials said the high-moisture content in wheat was a big hindrance in its procurement process that led to its large-scale rejection by the government procurement agencies and many times, farmers were forced to sell it below the minimum support price (MSP). “We want farmers not to ignore the government-fixed permissible limit of 12 per cent moisture in wheat and bring dry crop to the grain market,” they said.

Some farmers who have brought their produce with high moisture content have to dry it in the sun by spreading the grain during the day.