Trip On The Scythe

If there’s anything the Amarinder Singh government can be justifiably proud of, it is its record of six smooth procurement seasons. Farmers encountered very few problems in selling their produce, till now that is. Now they have free power, but are up in arms over the slow, scanty procurement of paddy in Punjab’s mandis. The season began with procurement agencies rejecting much of the produce on the ground that it doesn’t meet specifications. After the CM’s intervention, the Centre agreed to relax the specifications for Punjab paddy, permitting fci and other agencies to buy grain with higher moisture content. Yet, procurement is tardy and farmers are being forced to sell their crop at less than the msp of Rs 600 per quintal. While farmer organisations are alleging a nexus between procurement officials and private agencies, officials say the quality of paddy coming into the market is highly damaged. Either way, it spells trouble for the Amarinder government.