Explainer: Tardy wheat lifting troubles farmers in Sirsa mandis

In Sirsa district, over 32 lakh quintals of wheat in mandis is yet to be lifted. This delay has prolonged wait of farmers for payments of their purchased wheat, while also leaving them worried about possible crop damage. Despite government’s promises of smooth procurement, the crop lifting has remained tardy. The situation has left farmers and commission agents frustrated, while raising serious concerns over the system’s efficiency and the government’s planning to procure crop.

Notably, From April 1 to April 18, a total of 39.14 lakh quintals of wheat arrived in Sirsa’s mandis. Out of this, 35.57 lakh quintals of wheat was purchased by government agencies and 54,952 quintals of grain was sold privately. The worrying part is that only 7.44 lakh quintals of wheat has been lifted so far from mandis in the district. At least 2.89 lakh quintals of wheat remains unsold.

Why is lifting of wheat tardy in Sirsa this year?

This year, the crop lifting process was delayed because the tender for transporting wheat took a long time to get approved. According to HAFED’s district manager Mangeram, the tender process began in early March, but could not be finalised until April 11, after seven failed attempts. Wheat lifting was delayed because the government made stricter transportation rules. Transporters raised objections over the development and went on strike. Meanwhile, farmers continued to bring wheat to mandis, and the stock kept piling up without being moved to godowns. Normally, after government agencies like HAFED, FCI and others purchase wheat, they provide gunny bags (bardanas) for filling grains. After filling wheat, gunny bags are loaded on trucks hired by the contractor approved by the government. These trucks ferry wheat to government warehouses. Since the tender wasn’t finalised on time, wheat lifting came to a halt.

What problems are farmers facing due to this delay?

The biggest issue farmers are facing is delay in payments of their purchased crop. Until their wheat is lifted from mandis, they won’t receive any payment for their crop. Many of them had taken loans or leased land to cultivate wheat. Now, with their harvest lying in the open, they are unable to plan for the next crop. There is also the risk of damage to the crop which is lying in the open. If it rains, the crop could get spoiled. In some mandis, there is no proper space to store grains safely, making the situation worse. Commission agents (arhtiyas) are also under pressure as they manage the cleaning and preparation of wheat for auction. Unsold wheat has left them worried.

What steps are being taken to solve the issue?

Now that the tender for transportation has been approved, the wheat lifting has finally started. District manager Mangeram said, “One contractor is handling the entire Sirsa district. In Sirsa mandi alone, 40 trucks have been deployed for lifting wheat. Across 73 mandis in the district, hundreds of trucks are transporting wheat to warehouses.” Sirsa Market Committee Secretary Virender Mehta said they had already sent three official notices to agencies concerned to speed up lifting of grains from mandis. The committee maintains cleanliness and provides space for grain storage in the mandi and also helps farmers solve issues faced by them. The committee is also closely monitoring the situation and pushing to speed up crop lifting. Meanwhile, the delay has stressed farmers, besides creating financial trouble and uncertainty for them.

Haryana Tribune