High moisture content has hit the procurement process for paddy crop in Punjab, with about 284,000 tonnes of the crop lying unsold in various mandis of the state as on October 31, which has put the farmers in a state of distress.
The high moisture content of the crop, that has led to its large scale rejection by the government procurement agencies, are also being traded below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,280 at various mandis.
According to farm analysts, the moisture content is around 20-23 per cent, much above the permissible limit of 17 per cent as fixed by central procurement agencies. Analysts say it could be attributed to the late harvesting of the paddy, this season. Currently, the state is witnessing cold weather conditions with temperature hovering between 10 to 30 degree celsius.
In view of the depleting water table in the state, the Punjab government had, off late, directed the farmers not to grow paddy before June 10.
According to the Mandi Board, government agencies and private millers procured 103.11 lakh tonnes of paddy till last evening, out of the total arrival of 10.5 million tonnes. Concerned over the plight of farmers, the Bhartiya Kissan Union (Lakhowal) has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to increase the permissible limit for moisture content to 20 per cent from 17 at present, but is yet to get any response from the Centre.
Also, 2.55 mn tonnes of paddy are yet to be lifted from the mandis. Representatives of agencies and market managers say a paddy glut, high moisture content and a decline in demand by rice shellers are the major factors behind the delay.
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Capt Amarinder Singh, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, on Thursday lashed out at the state government for its failure to lift the crop on time. Singh warned, if the farmers’ issues were not addressed on time, his party will gherao the mandis across the state.
According to the state agriculture department, the area under paddy touched 2.81 mn hectares this season against the designated target of 2.78 hectares.
Also, this year the total paddy anticipated production is likely to touch 16.4 mn metric tonnes.