Paddy procurement in Hansi likely tomorrow, say officials

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, October 15

The district authorities today held a meeting to discuss the issue of delay in paddy procurement in the Hansi grain market and assured that procurement was likely to start by Monday.

Sources said SDM Anil Nagar held a meeting of the market committee officials yesterday and asked them to start procurement in Hansi.

The officials expressed helplessness, stating rice millers were not interested in keeping the stock of the procured produce due to high moisture as per the relaxation by the state government. They have taken up the issue with the top authorities in Chandigarh.

Kisan Kalyan Sangathan president Virender Arya, who met the SDM over the issue, said the SDM had assured that they were waiting for fresh directions from the head office at Chandigarh.

Ravi Kant Goel, president of the grain market association at Hansi, said the millers were firm on not keeping the stock of paddy if the government agencies procured the produce due to moisture content.

The government has decided to give relaxation in the moisture specifications for procurement from 17 per cent to 22 per cent.

However, the millers fear that moisture could rot the produce.