FCI buys paddy from farmers amid protest

CHANDIGARH: The Food Corporation of India ( FCI) has made a small beginning by procuring 217 tonne of paddy and making direct payment to farmers in Punjab amidst protests in the state and Haryana by millers and arthiyas (middlemen). Paddy arrivals in the 2010-11 kharif marketing season touched 6.7 lakh tonne at the mandis across the two states till Sunday.

“Even though we witnessed resistance from arthiyas, we have been able to procure 217 tonne from Kapurthala mandi in Punjab. We are getting the support of farmer unions in the state and expect an increase in procurement,” said Aseem Chhabra, FCI’s deputy general manager for Punjab region.

According to the Punjab Mandi Board, the arrival till October 3 at the mandis and purchase centres was 6.29 lakh tonne compared to 5.13 lakh tonne on October 3 last year. “Agencies have procured 3.2 lakh tonne and daily arrival at the mandis is at 1.76 lakh tonne,” said Punjab Mandi Board general manager SS Randhawa. High moisture content in paddy owing to rains has delayed the arrivals.

In Haryana, arrival till October 3 was 40,021 tonne compared to 3.3 lakh tonne in the previous year. State agencies procured over 27,501 tonne with price varying from Rs 1,000 per quintal for common variety to Rs 1,030 per quintal for Grade A variety as per the Haryana Food and Supply department statistics.

In Khanna, Asia’s largest grain market, a trader said arrival was likely to pick up next week. He said the moisture content was 20% against the permissible limit of 17%. “There is a protest against FCI by the arthiyas and we will ensure not a single paddy bag is procured by them,” he added.