Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers not happy with wheat procurement arrangements

Tribune News ServiceBathinda April 6Clouds of uncertainty have been hovering over the farming community amid restrictions imposed in the wake of Covid-19, as it is time to harvest wheat. The farming community in the region is deeply perturbed over the arrangements at the mandis. Notably, the procurement of wheat by the government would start from April 15 onwards, but lack of proper arrangements at mandis has become a cause for concern for them.There are 10 market committees and 180 mandis (grain markets) all across the district, but no cleaning arrangements in place by the Mandi board so far.During a visit conducted by a team of Bathinda Tribune to Mehma Sarja, Nehianwala, Ablu, Jandanwala, Goniana Kalan, Aklia, Mehraj, Balluana and Dan Singhwala and other villages, heaps of garbage and stray animal dung cakes could be seen lying in the open.Notably, farmers from 314 villages in the district were ready to harvest wheat crop, but were quite anxious at the moment with regard to procurement this season amid Covid-19 fear. They were apprehensive about their six months’ hard work, which they said should not go waste.Even as the government has promised to provide bonus to farmers for storing their agricultural produce at their homes this season, farmers, especially marginal ones, were perturbed over the prospect of storage procurement of wheat produce from their homes.“Labour shortage problem which has been triggering tardy procurement of wheat over the past few years is set to aggravate this season due to coronavirus and curfew restrictions,” said a farmer from Mehma Sarja village.While manual harvesting had already started in some parts of the region, farmers were worried about the procurement of wheat this season.District Mandi Officer Kanwarpreet Singh Brar said: “The cleaning work at mandis has been started and in the wake of Covid-19, the number of mandis in the district would be increased up to 400 from existing 180 this procurement season to ensure social distancing during procurement. The procurement season will also be extended from 20 to 60 days this year.”

The Tribune

2020-04-07