Paddy procurement in Hry, Punjab from today after stir
CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday issued an order to begin paddy procurement in Punjab and Haryana from October 3 after farmers, protesting against the delay in the procurement, clashed with police personnel in parts of the states.
The decision was taken “in the interest of farmers”, the food ministry said in its order, days after it postponed the procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana to October 11.
The decision came hours after protesting farmers broke police barricades and faced water cannons, including near Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s house in Karnal, as they laid siege to residences of legislators and ministers in Punjab and Haryana.
“I am directed to inform that, in the interest of the farmers, it has been decided to start procurement of paddy from October 3, 2021, in the state of Haryana and Punjab for 2021-22 kharif marketing season,” said a letter written by a Union food ministry official to the governments of Punjab and Haryana.
Paddy should be procured as per the FAQ (fair and average
quality) norms prescribed for the 2021-22 kharif marketing season, the letter said.
In its earlier order on Thursday, the government said the procurement, which usually begins on October 1, will be postponed as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible
limits owing to heavy rainfall.
The government “believes that the decision to start the procurement of paddy under MSP (minimum support price ) from October 3 in Punjab and Haryana is in the overall interest of farmers and consumers as well so as to accept paddy stock
as per FAQ specifications to ensure quality procurement for millions of consumers under PDS of National Food Security Programme”, the food ministry said in a separate statement.
The procurement operation is undertaken by the central government’s nodal agency