Days after the announcement of the new moong procurement policy in which it was stated that the Punjab government will procure the crop from June 1, the Arhtiyas (Commission Agents) are against the move.
They said that they are being ousted from the procurement process, which is in violation of the norms of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing laws and their basic right.
They added that they will be holding a meeting in this regard on May 29 at Jagraon mandi and also urged the government to review the policy.
As per guidelines, arhtiyas charge 2.5% commission from the purchaser while selling crops from farmers, who sell their crop through the arhtiyas to the government agencies and private players. With the new policy, the state government can save 2.5% commission if they will purchase directly from farmers.
Best of Express Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium
PremiumThe Punjab government has appointed Markfed and Cooperative societies as nodal agencies to procure the crop from the farmers and have also issued licences for purchase and asked them to get renewed the licences where there is need of renewable.
Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of Aarhtia Association Punjab, said that in the run-up to the assembly election, the then CM candidate of AAP Bhagwant Mann had praised arhtiyas for their important role in the procurement of crops. “However, now after becoming CM, he is ousting the arhtiyas from the process. The government is not only depriving us of the work, but is also violating the Punjab Agrilcutural Marketing laws,” Cheema said.
In the new procurement policy of summer moong, the state government has also asked the farmers that procurement will be done on the basis of the land mapping.
The district level officials have been instructed that moong is a cash crop and it must be procured under the shed as there should not be any glut in the mandis to keep the crop at proper place so that it could be saved from environment related harms.
Punjab has cooperative societies across the state and also there are sheds available in almost all local mandis of the state. The procurement of Moong will continue till July 31.
