Delay in mustard lifting: Hry growers fume, start dharna
Farmers allege that the Hisar market committee has not arranged proper facilities, such as drinking water, accommodation and toilets
Farmers of Hisar district on Thursday launched a dharna here against delay in procurement of mustard crop by the government agencies.
Growers, who arrived in the local grain market with their produce, alleged that the government agencies are yet to start proper procurement.
A group of farmers started a dharna at the grain market and demanded prompt procurement of their produce.
The farmers also alleged that the Hisar market committee has not arranged proper facilities for them, such as drinking water, accommodation and toilets.
Farmer leader Sube Singh Boora said, “We want prompt procurement of mustard and provision of proper facilities for us.”
Dharambir Singh, a farmer, said, “The grain market is flooded with mustard, but the government agencies have not purchased our produce so far. If the government agencies fail to purchase mustard, the farmers will have to sell their produce at a cheaper cost to the arhtiyas (commission agents).”
Umed Singh, another farmer, alleged that the arhtiyas and government agencies are working together. “To extract bribe from us, the government agencies are not purchasing mustard by citing moisture content in our produce.”
He added a large quantity of the mustard crop is kept in the mandi under the open sky. “Alos, the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU) has predicted rain in coming days.”
Talking to Hindustan Times, market committee zonal manager Nihal Singh Godara said, “Government agencies are purchasing mustard daily. The government has norms to select the crop according to its moisture content. The agencies are purchasing crop accordingly.”
Godara also claimed that there are proper facilities for the farmers at the Hisar grain market.