Procurement operations hit as millers again refuse to store paddy

CM to meet Union Food Minister on October 14 to discuss issues of millers and arhtiyas

Amid the purchase of rice, state rice millers have once again refused to store grain at their facilities for milling. This has caused recruitment agencies, which are expecting a glut of rice from next week, to scramble.

The Punjab Rice Millers Association had last Saturday called off their agitation after a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann after the state acceded to most of their demands. But now, the millers are up in arms again and have refused to sign contracts for milling and storage of paddy, raising concerns about the rice yield of the PR126 variety of paddy, which al· leges that it will not comply with Food Corporation of India procurement norms leading to large quantities. losses to the millers.

Rice millers, farmers’ unions and commission agents are all set to hold a three-hour sit-in on Sunday in Punjab for their demands.

Punjab Rice Millers Association president Tarsem Saini alleged that procurement agencies used police force to store paddy in factory premises in Kapurthala and Rupnagar districts despite the protests of the owners of the mills.

“Since our demands have not been met and there is great concern about more rice breakage in the PR 126 variety of rice, the millers have refused to sign a contract for milling. For the convenience of farmers for procurement of rice, we have offered our mill space for storage, but the responsibility of storage (quality and quantity) will be on the government, not on the millers,” he said Saini, adding that the government has failed to address their genuine concerns.

Saini explained that apart from space constraints and rice lifting by FCI, yield ratio (OTR) of hybrid varieties is a major concern. “We have asked for scientific studies to determine the actual OTR (rice-to-rice conversion ratio), till then we will not do the milling,” Saini said, adding that last year also millers suffered losses

“For every 100 quintals of rice, millers have to return 67 quintals of rice to government agencies and in case the yield is less, the millers are supposed to cover the losses. The new varieties have more breaking rice, so it is a loss to the millers,” Saini added.

With millers up in arms, commission agents and purchasing agencies have also started refusing to buy paddy.

“Until the lifting process starts, we cannot buy more paddy. We have asked the farmers to delay harvesting,” said Jagdish Raj, a commissioner in Patiala. He said the staff of the procurement agency he is also worried that the weight loss will increase with each passing day after the recruitment.

Paddy this season has been sown over 32 lakh hectares and experts have predicted a bumper crop of 230 lakh tonnes with the food and civil supplies state setting a target of 185 lakh tonnes for procurement. The state contributes up to 45% of the rice of the country’s total need for the PDS. Paddy buying officially started in Punjab on October 1.

CM to meet Union Minister

With the impact of recruitment, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today spoke to the Union Minister over phone to resolve the issues of commission agents and rice millers.

He will also meet Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Prahlad Joshi on Tuesday (i.e. October 14) to discuss issues affecting recruitment.

According to CMO officials, the CM will raise the issues of rice millers and Arhtiyas with the Union minister.

So far, 4.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has reached the mandis and according to official data, 98% of the crop has been procured. The department has released ₹573.55 crore as payments to farmers, the CMO official added.