Rajiv Mahajan
Nurpur, September 29
Hundreds of farmers of the Mand area in Indora subdivision of Kangra district are in distress after they were declined procurement of their paddy crop at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) centres in the neighbouring Punjab. As a result, the demand for a permanent FCI procurement centre in the area has gained momentum.
APMC TO MAKE EFFORTS TO REDRESS ISSUE
The APMC will try its best to set up a procurement centre in Mand before the next harvesting season after interacting with local farmers about the most suitable location.. — Raj Kumar Bhardwaj, Secy, APMC
Sources said paddy is produced on around 2,500 hectares in the Mand area, known for wheat, maize and paddy, besides sugarcane crop. The FCI, for the first time, had started procuring wheat at two centres in Kangra district — Thakurdwara and Fatehpur. The farmers had been selling their wheat produce at these centres until June 15 on the maximum support price (MSP). Farmers of Mand area, which borders Punjab, earlier sold their paddy crop at FCI centres in Mukerian of Hoshiarpur district. But this year, the Punjab Government had declined to procure crops of farmers of other states.
Raj Kumar Bhardwaj, secretary, Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), Kangra, said a distressing situation arose after the Punjab Government declined the procurement. He said the APMC would try its best to set up a procurement centre in Mand before the next harvesting season after interacting with local farmers about the most suitable location. The Agriculture Department is constructing a grain market at Milwan in Indora subdivision, the foundation stone of which was laid earlier this year, he said.
Suresh Pathania, president of the Kangra Kisan Union, has sought a permanent solution to the problem by setting up makeshift procurement centres at Fatehpur and Indora for the time being.
Denied permission to sell paddy in Punjab, Himachal farmers seek local procurement centre
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