Center softens, paddy supply to start in Punjab, Haryana from Sunday: The Tribune India

Tribune press service

New Delhi, October 2

Responding to farmers’ demand, the Center decided on Saturday to start supplying paddy to Punjab and Haryana from Sunday, October 3.

After a day of widespread protests over the delay in purchases, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, announced that purchases would begin tomorrow in both states.

The announcement came after a meeting with the Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar.

“The supply (of Kharif crops) will start from tomorrow in Haryana and Punjab,” Choubey said.

Coming out of the meeting, Khattar said that “due to the continued rains, the central government had postponed the purchase of paddy and bajra until October 11. However, paddy had started to arrive in the mandis, which led to requests for purchase. After a meeting (with the Union Minister) today, it was decided that the procurement will start tomorrow ”.

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– CMO Haryana (@cmohry) October 2, 2021

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Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting his “personal request,” Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi said the decision would help ensure a hassle-free and hassle-free supply of rice to farmers’ satisfaction.

“At the request of Chief Minister Charanjit Channi, the Center authorizes the Punjab to start purchasing paddy from October 3.

The Chief Minister of Punjab met Prime Minister Modi yesterday, who “assured him of a swift resolution of this problem”.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana today staged protests in many places against the postponement of the purchase of paddy, prompting the Center to speed up the process. The

The Center had previously decided to postpone the purchase of paddy under the MSP to October 11 in Punjab and Haryana, it is in “the general interest of farmers and consumers as well as to accept the stock of paddy according to the FAQ ”.

“Buying paddy with a high moisture content carries a risk of increasing the damage percentage of the rice grain. The grain will become vulnerable to shriveling, blackening, discoloration and prone to infestations. This could lead to rejection in the supply centers and result in a crash sale of paddy and consequent loss for farmers, ”officials said, adding that the Haryana government had also written to the Center for the. notify of unwanted rain and request a release of moisture content. in the paddy field.

“The best solution would be to harvest the offered paddy rice after a period of 10 days, ie after good maturity, the moisture problem in the paddy rice can be minimized. As a result, the government of the states of Punjab and Haryana has also been requested to advise their agencies to dry the paddy that has already arrived and other products could be brought to the mandi after proper drying, ”the ministry said yesterday. of Consumption, Food and Public Distribution.

Widespread untimely downpours across Punjab and Haryana in the second half of September affected the growing rice crop in both agrarian states, officials said. The maximum temperature in most places was also recorded below normal due to the downpours.

“There were heavy showers on September 29 and 30 in parts of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Due to the untimely rains, the maturity of the paddy grains is delayed, ”they said.

Citing the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said rainfall in September 2021 was 77% and 139% above normal in Punjab and Haryana, respectively.

“Based on verification of the moisture content by the FCI regional offices in Punjab and Haryana, it was reported that the paddy samples had moisture ranging from 18% to 22% in Punjab and 18%. , 2% to 22.7% in Haryana against the authorized limit of 17%. .

“As a result, to avoid inconvenience to farmers and protect their interests, the Indian government decided that the purchase of paddy under Operation MSP would start from October 11 in Punjab and Haryana and advised all agencies to prepare to die to help farmers, “the ministry said. yesterday.