Farmers Movement Archive

US Nagar farmers protest non-procurement of paddy, burn produce

RUDRAPUR: The farmers of Udham Singh Nagar district on Wednesday evening burnt their produce to protest “irregularities” in the government’s paddy procurement process. They allege that more-than-half of the farmers registered for procurement are yet to sell their produce and the middlemen are manipulating them to sell their crops at cheaper rates in the absence of government procurement at minimum support price (MSP). The farmers later submitted a memorandum, addressed to the chief minister, to the sub-divisional magistrate seeking quick action. Tejinder Singh Virk, president of the Terai Kisan Sangathan, told TOI, “The stalemate over paddy procurement continues in the district. We are forced to stage protests as middlemen are harassing farmers in the absence of a clear procurement policy. The state government had announced to start procurement from September 27 but the procurement agencies and rice-millers are not cooperating. This has left the farmers helpless and many have already turned up at the mandis with their produce.” Thakur Jagdish Singh, another farmer, said, “The change in the procurement policy has only added to farmers’ distress. The middlemen are not following the protocols of the purchase and are manipulating the farmers who are desperately in need of money.” Kuldeep Singh, another farmer, said, “The produce is not being procured on the pretext of high moisture content. The authorities have ignored our pleas, leaving us with no option but to protest. The agriculture bill recently passed by the Union government will only add to the woes of the farmers. If our demands are not met, we will intensify our protest and also block the highways in the coming days.”

The Times of India

2020-10-15

Dehradun