Stand-off over value cut continues, procurement halts in F’bad, Palwal

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, April 18

Farmers continue to be at the receiving end as procurement of wheat has come to a standstill in Faridabad and Palwal districts. The agencies did not procure wheat today because of the strike by commission agents protesting against the value cut imposed on rain-affected produce.

“Several farmers are turning away in view of the halt in the procurement operations for the past several days. They say there’s no use of stocking up the produce in mandis in such a situation. The agencies have imposed a value cut of Rs 160 per bag of wheat,” said Lalit Kumar Bansal, a commission agent at the Ballabgarh grain market.

“On one hand, the government says it will purchase the entire stock and, on the other, the agencies adopt a defiant stand by not procuring wheat without imposing the value cut,” he said.

“A memorandum has been submitted to Deputy Commissioner Amit Aggarwal, but there seems to be no solution in sight,” Lala Ramlakhan, another commission agent, said. “On account of value cut, an agent who gets Rs 20 per bag as commission cannot pay a farmer from his pocket.”

“I, along with several farmers, returned with the produce on Friday, as we were told of the indefinite strike of the commission agents,” said Naresh of Maujpur village.

He said the authorities had imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 on farmers for bringing the produce to mandis during the strike.

District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC) BS Doon admitted that the agencies did not procure wheat on Saturday because of the strike. He, however, claimed 534 tonnes of wheat was procured in Tigaon on Friday, taking the total to 14,534 metric tonnes in Faridabad so far.

Congress’ Palwal MLA Karan Singh Dalal alleged government’s failure in ameliorating the situation.