Huge stock of unsold paddy in Punjab's mandis - fear of rotting

11-Nov-2024 11:29 AM

The situation in Punjab’s mandis regarding paddy procurement is increasingly concerning for both farmers and authorities. The slow pace of government procurement is creating a bottleneck, with a massive surplus of unsold paddy accumulating in the markets.

Farmers are facing long waiting times—up to 15 to 20 days—before they can sell their produce. This delay is causing the paddy to stay in the open for extended periods, heightening the risk of it rotting.

Although the Punjab government insists that the procurement process is proceeding smoothly, farmer organizations argue otherwise, emphasizing that the reality on the ground is quite different.

Despite official data showing that 120.67 lakh tonnes of paddy out of 126.67 lakh tonnes have been procured as of November 8, 2024, the pace of procurement is still perceived as too slow by farmers.

A significant factor contributing to this delay is that the paddy is not being sold directly to rice millers, and government agencies are limiting the quantities they are buying.

The backlog is piling up in the mandis, and with Punjab's warehouses nearing full capacity, the ability to store and process the massive inflow of paddy is becoming strained.

The central government has set a procurement target of 185 lakh tonnes of paddy in Punjab for the 2024 season, which is in line with last year’s goal. However, the fixed deadline for government procurement, which ends on November 30, 2024, adds pressure.

Farmers fear that as new paddy starts arriving, the stock that is already in the mandis will face the risk of deterioration, further compounding the crisis.

In the face of these challenges, there are accusations that the slow pace of procurement is an intentional strategy to create difficulties for the farmers of Punjab, a claim that is fueling growing discontent among farming communities in the state.