Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 15
Paddy procurement in the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) may well be the most challenging ever for the agrarian state of Punjab. As the state readies to procure 170 lakh metric tonne paddy, the threat of the government purchase shrinking in wake of the mandatory submission of land records (fard) by farmers and compliance of new proposed Minimum Threshold Parameters looms large.
Market arrival of paddy is expected to start within two weeks. Though the official date for starting paddy procurement is yet to be announced, it is expected to start in the last week of September.
New central rules cause for concern
- Centre proposes reduction in acceptable moisture content and damaged and discoloured grains, which may render a large quantity of paddy ineligible for purchase
- Officials say they are again facing shortage of gunny bags. Against the requirement of 5.32 lakh bales, it just has 0.15 lakh bales
The Centre has made it mandatory for all farmers to submit the fard of their land for its mandatory integration with the state’s land record portal, for foodgrain procurement. Though the state government has managed to integrate the land records for almost 60 per cent of farmers, integrating records for lessee farmers/ tenant farmers is a challenge for the state government, both logistically and because of its widespread opposition by farmers, including the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is already on the warpath with the Centre over the three farm laws.
The other major threat of the Centre changing the Minimum Threshold Parameters for paddy purchase, which the state government has vociferously objected to, if implemented, will cast its shadow on the total paddy procured by government agencies in the state. The Centre is proposing reduction in the acceptable moisture content, damaged and discolored grains amongst others, which may leave out a large quantity of paddy brought to mandis as ineligible for government purchase.
This year, Punjab is expecting its paddy production to go up to 173.92 lakh metric tonne (lmt). While the Centre has fixed a target to purchase 170 lmt paddy, the state government is making arrangements to purchase 191 lmt, based on the high yield of paddy obtained last year.
Paddy to hit market in 2 weeks, farmers wary
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