Sukhmeet Bhasin
Bathinda, April 23
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is not procuring wheat crop because of the poor grain quality in the region. Due to a sudden rise in temperature in March, the grains have shrivelled, hence these are not able to meet the FCI quality standards.
Relax norms
The Centre should immediately relax the norms and purchase the crop. It should also give a relief package to the farmers on per acre basis due to low yield. Jasvir Singh, BKU leader
In Mansa, the FCI is yet to start procurement, while in Bathinda it stopped the process after purchasing the produce for a few days. The southern Malwa region, comprising Bathinda, Mansa and other districts, is the worst affected as it witnessed high temperatures in March-end and early April, affecting the grain quality.
With the FCI not procuring crop, state agencies — Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup and others — and private players are purchasing the produce these days.
Mansa District Mandi Officer Rajnish Goel said, “The FCI is yet to start procurement in the district. Only state agencies are procuring crop so far in the district.”
Bathinda DC Showkat Ahmad Parray said, “The FCI did minimal procurement in the district a few days ago and now it is not procuring wheat in the district.”
Sources in the Agriculture Department claimed that as per FCI quality standards, only 6 per cent shrivelled grains were allowed, but the figure was around 20 per cent in the crop coming to the mandis.
BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) leader Jasvir Singh said, “The Centre should relax the norms and purchase crop from here. It should also give a relief package to the farmers on per acre basis on the low yield. This is a testing time for the farmers.”
In south Malwa, Food Corporation of India stays away from buying
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