Procurement begins in dist, but no produce arrives in mandis

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 10

Though the procurement of wheat crop has officially started, no produce arrived on the first day at the Bhagatawala Dana Mandi, district’s largest grain market, on Saturday.

Officials said harvesting in the district would begin after Baisakhi as the crop is not fully ripe yet.

“The harvesting in Malwa begins early. In Majha, the crop starts arriving late. We expect that the produce will start arriving after 8-10 days,” said an official of the mandi board.

The officials said a total of 57 procurement centres have been set up in the district. These include eight main procurement yards, 11 sub-yards and 38 procurement centres.

The administration has asked farmers to bring fully ripened crop to the yards, so that they do not have to face any trouble. However, farmers are apprehensive this season as the FCI has decreased the permissible moisture limit to 12 per cent.

The administration has also restricted the entry of more than one person per tractor-trailer to check the rush at markets during procurement season. It has also taken other measures as single entry and exit points to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Meanwhile, the members of Anaj Mandi Mazdoor Union and Galla Mazdoor Union staged a protest at Dana Mandi in support of the arthiyas who already are opposing direct disbursement of payments to farmers. Pooran Singh, general secretary, Punjab Anaj Mandi Mazdoor Union, said: “While one part of the labour charges are paid by procurement agencies, the second part is deducted from payments of farmers.”

He asked if farmers are paid directly, how would workers be paid for their labour?