BKU seeks relaxation in paddy purchase norms

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to relax specifications in paddy procurement for Punjab farmers as growers are being "forced" to sell their produce at lesser rate than MSP due to higher moisture content.
In a letter written to the Prime Minister, BKU (Rajewal) President Balbir Singh Rajewal said that specification pertaining to moisture content in paddy should be raised from 17 per cent to 22 per cent.
Besides, the norm for discoloured grains be increased from 3 per cent to 8 per cent, he stated in the letter.
Rajewal also demanded from PM to send a team of experts from food ministry and FCI to visit Punjab and take scientific analysis of the paddy procurement to recommend relaxations in specifications of paddy.

Rajewal said because of untimely rain at the time of start of procurement, the yield of paddy crop in the state was adversely affected.
"The yield of paddy has come down by 5 to 10 quintals per acre. And the percentage of damaged and discoloured grains of paddy has increased to more than 10 per cent and moreover, due to untimely rains the moisture in atmosphere is high," he noted.

Because of high moisture content, procurement agencies have not been buying the crop and as a result of which, farmers are forced to sell their produce far below the MSP of Rs 1,345 per quintal.

"Farmers are not only suffering a loss of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per acre due to low yield, but also suffering another loss of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per acre due to distress sale of paddy," he said while alleging that traders were looting growers by purchasing their paddy at Rs 1,000 to 1,200 per quintal.
Rajewal said in the past also the government had bought paddy with a moisture content upto 20 per cent.
"To save farmers from the economic shock, they deserve a compensation of at least Rs 10,000 per acre for the loss of yield. This will prove a great help to the farmers. The situation in grain markets of Punjab is very tense. This may become a law and order problem if proper measures are not taken immediately," he warned.