Double whammy for growers

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 28

Finding fault with the system evolved by the government for procurement of wheat in the wake of lockdown, the Bharti Kisan Union – Kadian (BKU) has said unseasonal rains has added to the misery of farmers.

The BKU president, Harmeet Singh Kadian, said the permission given to farmers for taking only one trolley-load of wheat to the mandi was far too inadequate and proving problematic for farmers. At least three trollies should be permitted in each visit so that the farmers could sell off their harvest in a speedy manner while also keeping guard against the threat of Covid-19.

He said acute shortage of empty gunny bags was standing in the way of lifting of the crop from mandis which further delayed issuing of fresh passes to the farmers to being their produce to the market for sale. Kadian said a large number of farmers had already harvested their wheat crop, but they could neither store the produce due to shortage of gunny bags nor could they take it to the mandi for sale as new passes were not being issued.

The BKU chief said unseasonal rains had caused immense damage to the crop which was yet to be harvested. “Moisture content has increased in wheat, but on the other hand, the government has decreased maximum permissible moisture in the crop which could cause further problems for the producers.”

He made an appeal to the farmers that in view of the threat of Covid-19 which attacked the respiratory system, they should desist from stubble burning as the smoke would add to air pollution. The farmers should manage to dispose of stubble by alternative means, he added.

Desist from stubble burning: BKU head

BKU president Harmeet Singh Kadian made an appeal to the farmers that in view of the threat of Covid-19 which attacked the respiratory system, they should desist from stubble burning as the smoke would add to air pollution. The farmers should manage to dispose of stubble by alternative means, he added.