Arhtiyas red-flag token system

Gurminder Singh Grewal

Khanna, April 27

Inclement weather in the past couple of days has put farmers in a quandary.

Sukhwant Singh, a resident of Ghutind village, and Bhupinder Singh, a resident of Khanna, said rain and the lockdown in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak will lead to crop loss as harvesting season is midway.

Arhtiyas (Commission agents) at Khanna grain market, including Kamaljit Kamma, Navin Sharma and Pal Singh Rouni termed the token system as faulty and alleged that commission agents at the grain market have been given less tokens and as compared to rice millers.

Khanna Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sandeep Singh said tokens are issued by the Mandi Board on average wheat arrival of last year. He said this time procurement season will last for 45 days.

The SDM said 40,000 metric tonne of wheat has arrived and procured at Khanna Grain Market.

Meanwhile, commission agents protested in front of the Market Committee Office and and demanded more tokens. Gurdial Singh Diali, president, Rice Millers’ Association, Khanna, flayed charges of getting more tokens and weight.

The SDM said they will verify if more tokens or weight is being received by rice millers.