Rain has soaked crops in many markets across the state. Now, due to the high moisture content, farmers are finding it difficult to find buyers. The government has already appealed to farmers to bring their crops to the markets with low moisture content, but now the rain has ruined their efforts.
The two-day rain in Punjab has caused significant damage to paddy stored in the markets. To minimize losses, farmers are now working to dry the paddy so they can get a fair price for their produce.
So far, 967,902 metric tons of paddy have arrived in the markets in Punjab. Harvesting has been put on hold due to the rain. This is why farmers are waiting for the crop to dry. Harvesting can only pick up pace once the moisture content in the crop decreases in the next five to six days.
By Wednesday, 424,660 metric tons of paddy had been lifted from the state’s mandis, and the remaining paddy in the remaining mandis had suffered damage due to the rain. According to the government, 898,755 tons of paddy has been procured so far.
Total losses due to heavy rains yesterday in Amritsar’s grain markets of Bhagatanwala, Jandiala Guru, Tangra, and surrounding villages have been significant. While the paddy brought to the Bhagatanwala and Jandiala Guru grain markets was drenched, the sowing of potatoes, peas, and chickpeas in many farmers’ fields was also severely affected.
Farmers present at the mandi reported that due to the soaking of paddy, many farmers were unable to bid for their crops, resulting in financial losses. Many farmers had to camp overnight in the mandi, covering their crops with tarpaulins, to prevent further spoilage. Farmers Amardeep Singh Gunowal, Sarabjit Singh, Joban Singh, Baljinder Singh, Captain Singh, Pargat Singh, and Anoop Singh reported that while the rain has damaged the paddy crop, waterlogging in pea and potato fields threatens to rot.
80,324 metric tons of paddy has been procured in Amritsar so far.
Paddy procurement continues unabated in Amritsar’s 48 mandis. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sahni stated that by Tuesday evening, 80,585 metric tons of paddy had arrived in the mandis, of which 80,324 metric tons had been procured by various procurement agencies. The government has fixed the government price for paddy at ₹2,389 per quintal, and therefore, the moisture content of the paddy should not exceed 17 percent. The Deputy Commissioner appealed to farmers to bring dry paddy to the mandis so they don’t have to wait for procurement. The DC also appealed to farmers to manage their crop residue responsibly without burning stubble.
Farmers’ Crops Wet in Patiala Markets
In Patiala, rain has soaked farmers’ crops in the markets. Despite all the claims of the government and administration, farmers are angry over the lack of proper arrangements to protect their crops from the rain.
Ranjit Singh Savajpur, President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Krantikari, said that the damage was particularly severe in markets that were unpaved and lacked sheds. First, the floods damaged the crops. Then, a virus attacked the crops, leaving the paddy plants stunted. Now, the rain has completed the remaining damage. The lack of tarpaulins has also caused the paddy crops to get wet. The government should immediately take serious notice of this and compensate the farmers for their losses, otherwise, they will be forced to protest.
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