Farmers fret over wheat rejection due to high moisture

KARNAL:Though the government agencies have started wheat procurement in the mandis of Haryana, farmers say officials are rejecting the produce citing higher moisture content. Now, the farmers are drying the wheat to make it fit for the procurement.

“Government had announced to start procurement from April 1, but the agencies refused to purchase the produce on the ground of higher moisture content without even measuring moisture content,” said farmer Jasbir Singh of Gagseena village of Karnal district. A farmer has to spend 12-15 hours in the mandi to sell his produce, he said.

He also said the government did not make proper arrangements for water and shelter to them. As per commission agents, the government agencies have set criteria for the wheat to be purchased and they won’t buy the grain if that didn’t meet the norms. The arhtiya said farmers should have brought fully matured and dried wheat to the mandi. However, officials associated with the procurement refuted the allegations and said farmers have the right to approach to higher-ups with complaints. “The government agencies have fixed moisture content at 12% and they will procure wheat having moisture up to 14% by deducting the MSP.

But agencies will not procure wheat having moisture content above 14%,” Anil Kumar, district food and supplies controller said.

Agriculture experts said the ongoing heat conditions, reported in the several parts of the state were helping to get it dry. “The heat conditions will not affect the grain as it has already matured and will only be drier, which is good,” said Dr RK Sharma, principal scientist of Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal.

UNTIMELY RAIN IN REGION, HAILSTORM IN KARNAL, KURUKSHETRA

CHANDIGARH: Untimely rain in several parts of Haryana and hailstorm in a few areas of Karnal and Kurukshetra since the wee hours of Wednesday have left the farmers worrying across the state over their standing wheat crop.

Farmers in the Rohtak, Karnal and Hisar told HT that though the rain was scanty, it hit the standing wheat crop.

Jagraj Dandi, joint director, agriculture department, Haryana, said though the rain was reported from different parts of the state, there was no loss reported from anywhere so far, However, a few areas of Karnal and Kurukshetra districts received hails because of which losses to the wheat crop were reported. “The quantum of loss is yet to be ascertained,” he added. This year, wheat has been sown in over 25 lakh hectare in the state, he said and added that the wheat crop was yet to be harvested in most areas. HTC