Punjab farmers demand relaxation in paddy moisture norms, block roads

Agitating farmers, demanding relaxation in moisture norms for paddy, blocked roads in parts of Punjab for several hours on Monday.

Seven farmers' outfits, including Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Ekta) and Kirti Kisan Union Punjab, have come together to hold the protests.

"We have been demanding that the norm for 17 per cent moisture content should be relaxed to 24 per cent as the farmers have been facing several problems in selling paddy crop because of high moisture content," BKU (Ekta) General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said.

The protests were held at Ludhiana, Moga, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa, Faridkot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur, said Kokrikalan.

The protesters also criticised the government for delaying the sowing of paddy this season, claiming that it led to a loss of three quintals per acre.

Earlier this year, the Punjab government issued a notification delaying paddy sowing by five days, to June 20, to save millions of litres of water, which may have otherwise been used by farmers.

The farmers claimed rice sellers cut the price of their crop by three to five percent over high moisture content.

They also demanded the withdrawal of cases and rollback of fines imposed on farmers for burning stubble.

The protesters claimed small farmers have no option but to burn the crop residue.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi.