Tribune News Service
Bathinda, March 19
Farmers from several villages staged a protest against the state government and private procurement agencies for not procuring cotton at a fair price in the city grain market.
The farmers said citing low quality, private agencies had set a condition before them to sell their produce at a low price otherwise they would not procure cotton.
The farmers also raised slogans against the government and demanded that procurement of cotton must be done at fair prices.
Baldev Singh, a farmer from Jassi Pauwali village, said, “Private procurement agencies are adamant on lifting cotton as per their convenience. They are procuring good quality cotton by providing around Rs4,950 per quintal. But, they are not ready to procure cotton which is comparatively of a bit low quality. While we have agreed to sell it at lowered rates, their condition is that they would purchase this cotton if they do not have to pay the fee for procurement to the government.”
Another farmer Buta Singh said, “While government rates for cotton are Rs5,450 per quintal but we are being asked to sell it for below Rs4,000 and even lower than that. We are left with no alternative but to sell our cotton at lower rates.”
The protesters said arhtiyas had been trying to exploit our condition as they know that the season of cotton procurement was already in its last leg and if they would not procure it for some more time, farmers would be left with no other alternative but to sell it at rates quite below the MSP.
District mandi officer Preet Kanwar Singh Brar said, “Procurement agencies are being evasive on purchasing low quality of cotton from farmers. The matter is in our knowledge and we got 6 quintals and 25 kg of cotton procured. We will take all required steps to ensure that farmers do not face any problem during the procurement of cotton.”
