Farmers and arhtiyas express concern over Punjab paddy procurement halt
Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal visited the New Grain Market to assess difficulties faced by growers and commission agents.
Farmers and commission agents, known as arhtiyas, are concerned about the reported suspension of government paddy procurement in Punjab, according to The Tribune. Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal visited the New Grain Market on Hoshiarpur Road to listen to their grievances regarding the sale of the crop.
Dhaliwal told reporters that the Punjab Government set a procurement target of 1.80 crore metric tonnes, but total arrivals this season are expected to reach approximately 2.20 crore metric tonnes. He stated that this difference could result in a gap of nearly 40 lakh metric tonnes for which procurement arrangements might be insufficient.
In Phagwara, 8.17 lakh quintals of paddy have been procured at the New Grain Market, while total arrivals reached 10.22 lakh quintals as of November 4. Dhaliwal noted that an additional one lakh metric tonnes of paddy is expected in the Phagwara market, adding to the pressure.
The MLA alleged that the government's policies have caused hardship for both farmers and arhtiyas. He claimed that procurement plans seemed to be based on last year's estimates following flood damage, rather than anticipating this year's higher yields.
Dhaliwal said that six other regional markets, including Rawalpindi, Rihana Jattan, Wahid, Jagatpur Jattan, Ranipur and Panchta, could also be impacted. He estimated that between 1.50 and 1.75 lakh metric tonnes of paddy are still waiting to be procured across these markets.
Representatives from the Arhtiya Association and local farmers urged the government to restore smooth operations and increase allocations to handle the incoming produce to prevent further selling difficulties.