Low prices, no bank loan, no pvt players...
Punjab wheat farmers have their hands full.
By Viney Sharma, TNN |
KHANNA: Wheat procurement is yet to gather pace in Punjab and farmers are unsure of getting good prices this season. And, to rub it in the reduction of stock limit by the banks. Farmers are not getting loans against their produce, instead banks want properties as securities leaving farmers high and dry.
The absence of private players is adding to the woes of farmers here. The farmers, this time around, have resorted to hand crushing of wheat straw due to the rising prices of hay. This has also led to the delay in arrival at mandis. Kacha Aartiya Association general secretary Jasdeep singh says, “Procurement is 25% lowers than last season. Absence of private companies is making the matters worse.”
So far, farmers have got maximum Rs 875 per quintal. Besides farmers, aartiyas, too, are not happy with the present developments as they are not able to earn to commissions that they had last year. Only thing that is favouring the farmers is hay rates per acres this time have enhanced to Rs 5,000.
“We are earning profit of Rs 1,500 per acre on hay. Out of Rs 5,000, almost Rs 3,500 are labour expenses. Government should announce a bonus of Rs 150 per quintal. That can only save us,” says Santokh singh a farmer from Khanna.At the same time, BKU Bharati Kisan Union in the state have been calling upon the Punjab farmers to delay the arrivals of wheat in the mandis.
They have asked the central government to enhance the procurement price of wheat to Rs 1,140 per quintal. BKU general secretary Balwant singh says, “We are ready to sell wheat to any one who pays Rs 1,140 per quintal. Its just because of the awareness that farmers are ready to take stand on this." The government has made some changes like reducing the payment time to 48 hours from 72 hours.
A five-member delegation of the federation of Aarhti Associations of Punjab led by its president Ravinder Singh Cheema on Thursday called on Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal regarding their demands. The chief minister assured that the state government was considering issuing a notification for granting licenses to the katcha aartiyas on the permanent basis instead of renewing every three years as per the decision taken earlier.
The absence of private players is adding to the woes of farmers here. The farmers, this time around, have resorted to hand crushing of wheat straw due to the rising prices of hay. This has also led to the delay in arrival at mandis. Kacha Aartiya Association general secretary Jasdeep singh says, “Procurement is 25% lowers than last season. Absence of private companies is making the matters worse.”
So far, farmers have got maximum Rs 875 per quintal. Besides farmers, aartiyas, too, are not happy with the present developments as they are not able to earn to commissions that they had last year. Only thing that is favouring the farmers is hay rates per acres this time have enhanced to Rs 5,000.
“We are earning profit of Rs 1,500 per acre on hay. Out of Rs 5,000, almost Rs 3,500 are labour expenses. Government should announce a bonus of Rs 150 per quintal. That can only save us,” says Santokh singh a farmer from Khanna.At the same time, BKU Bharati Kisan Union in the state have been calling upon the Punjab farmers to delay the arrivals of wheat in the mandis.
They have asked the central government to enhance the procurement price of wheat to Rs 1,140 per quintal. BKU general secretary Balwant singh says, “We are ready to sell wheat to any one who pays Rs 1,140 per quintal. Its just because of the awareness that farmers are ready to take stand on this." The government has made some changes like reducing the payment time to 48 hours from 72 hours.
A five-member delegation of the federation of Aarhti Associations of Punjab led by its president Ravinder Singh Cheema on Thursday called on Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal regarding their demands. The chief minister assured that the state government was considering issuing a notification for granting licenses to the katcha aartiyas on the permanent basis instead of renewing every three years as per the decision taken earlier.
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