Grain procurement agencies in Punjab and Haryana need to make an extra effort, as untimely rain and hailstorms have affected the wheat harvest.
Arrivals are sluggish this year in the two states, which are expected to contribute about 18 million tonnes to the Union government’s total procurement target of 26.3 mt. The analysis of mandi arrivals reflects a substantial gap as compared to last year. Punjab recorded an arrival of 6.16 mt by April 18 last year in comparison to 0.91 mt this year on the same date. Haryana registered an arrival of 2.07 mt on April 18, much lower than the 4.83 mt of last year on the corresponding day.
The bulk of procurement operations are traditionally over by April 30 in these two states but it would stretch by 10 to 15 days this year due to the unfavourable weather. Farmers are waiting for clear weather to complete harvesting, as that may help to reduce humidity in the grain.
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The permissible humidity in wheat is 12 per cent. Food Corporation of India officials said farmers with the patience dry the crop under sunshine at their farms and those who cannot wait use the drying facility offered by arhtiyas (commission agents) in the mandis.
According to the scientists at the Wheat Research Institute, Karnal, the yield will not be effected by weather conditions at this juncture but special attention would have to be paid for the quality of wheat. Late harvesting or drying of grains would be imperative in such conditions.
The procurement agencies have yet to get any official communication on the bonus of Rs 50 per quintal announced by the Union government, so the farmers are still getting the earlier set level of Rs 1,120 a quintal. “We will (also) get the delayed payment”, said Kulwinder Singh, a farmer in Hoshiarpur.