Farmers in a fix over low maize prices
JALANDHAR: The maize grains in the markets are attracting low prices as compared to last year leaving farmers a worried lot. In the absence of any minimum support price (MSP) for maize, it is being procured by private players including poultry farm houses, distilleries and flour mills.
As a result, farmers are selling their produce between ₹800 and ₹900 per quintal, depending on the moisture content. The less moisture content maize is being procured at₹1,100-₹1,200.
Chairman Arhitya Association for Jalandhar’s New Grain Market Harjeet Singh Kalra said, “The farmers are getting paid less due to excess supply of maize here. Crop is also coming from Bihar.”
He said, “Last year, the dry crop was sold at ₹1400 and the rate of wet maize depends on the moisture content.”
Farmer Mohinder Singh form Madara village said, “Last year, the crop was sold at ₹1,000 to ₹1,100 per quintal. But it is ₹800 a quintal now.”
“Due to the cloudy weather the crop still has moisture,” he said. “The dry crop is getting ₹1,100-₹1,200 which is disappointing. The government should form a policy in this regard,” he said.
A commission agent on the condition of anonymity said, “The maize arriving here from last 10 days has excess moisture due to which it is fetching low prices. The moisture content is being measured manually.”
In Jalandhar, the maize area was 9,000-hectare during 2016-17 which increased to 11,000 hectares. The commission agent said, “This spring, farmers had sown maize on larger land. Most of them had not grown wheat during the sowing time, waiting for a price increase of the sown potato crop during demonetisation days but they are not getting adequate prices.”