Amid stand-off with Mann govt, Punjab rice millers say called by Centre for talks

By Kanchen Vasudev

A day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann set a four-day deadline for rice millers to lift paddy from mandis or else he would get the crop milled from outside the state, Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi Monday invited millers for a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday — the day the four-day ultimatum ends.

Punjab Rice Millers Association president Tarsem Saini told The Indian Express they got an invite from the Centre. “We have got an invite from the Centre. I appeal to the BJP-led government at the Centre to listen to our demands and hold a meeting that has a positive outcome. The Centre should consider that Punjab’s farmers have ushered the country into the era of the Green Revolution. If paddy is not lifted, the state will face a big problem.”

Saini, meanwhile, appealed to the farmer associations “to have patience and wait for the outcome of the meeting. “I appeal to them not to sit on dharnas or block highways causing inconvenience to people.”

Punjab Rice Industries Association president Bharat Bhushan Binta Bansal said they would attend the meeting, hoping for a positive outcome.

“The central government gives us relief every year but we did not get any relief last year. We suffered losses in crores,” he said.Bansal called for a solution as early as possible, stating, “Not even 20 per cent crop has reached mandis yet. The situation will be bad at mandis when it picks up.”

Mann on Saturday had warned the stakeholders that his government will not allow any “blackmailing” and if need arises, it will not hesitate in getting the rice milled from outside the state. “We have a plan B ready for getting the milling of rice done to safeguard the interests of food growers. Blackmailing will not be allowed and, if needed, the state government will not hesitate to get the milling of rice done outside the state,” Mann had said.

Reacting to Mann’s deadline, Saini and other rice millers said the CM should get the paddy milled from outside the state. “I publicly welcomed the CM’s offer. But I do not know how it’s going to work. We have 5,500 shellers in Punjab and only 1,500 in neighbouring Haryana. where will they take the produce?” Saini asked.Saini said millers offered the government a single custody storage of paddy in their shellers.

“They can store the produce in shellers but the inspectors should be assigned to safeguard it. We will just let them use our space. But we are in no position to lift it as we face losses. The rice yield is not up to the mark. We will lift paddy if given a relaxation of 2-3 kg rice per quintal of paddy,” he said.

The rice shellers hand over 67 kg of rice to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) after milling a quintal of paddy. They claim a quintal hybrid paddy produces only 62-63 kg of rice.

Vijay Kalra of the arhtiyas association alleged that officers misled the CM in issuing such a warning to the millers. “The state will produce 185 LMT of paddy. It is not a small amount. You can imagine the transportation cost of this huge operation if the CM decides to take it to other states. On the other hand, what are the millers asking for — a relaxation of only 2-3 kg rice per quintal,” he said.

He added that the milling cost of paddy in Punjab was Rs 10 per quintal while Rs 40 in Haryana, Rs 120 in Chattisgarh and so on. “The CM should have refrained from making such a statement. These are not small operations,” Kalra added.

Ensure speedy lifting of paddy:

CM to officialsChairing a meeting to review the procurement of paddy in the state, Mann on Monday directed officials to ensure speedy lifting of paddy from mandis so that farmers do not face any inconvenience.Mann said, “Punjab farmers have played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food production. In this process, the food growers have even over-exploited the only available natural resources of the state in terms of water and fertile soil.”

“This year too, Punjab farmers are expected to contribute 185 lakh metric tonnes of paddy to the national food kitty. We should ensure the farmers do not face any inconvenience at mandis,” the CM said.

Mann said, “The Punjab government is committed to protecting the farmers’ interests and smooth and hassle-free paddy procurement in mandis. Distressed sale of paddy in mandis will not be allowed and ‘severest of severe’ action will be taken against officers found guilty.” The CM said the state government had made elaborate arrangements for paddy procurement by setting up 2,651 mandis across the state.

. “Cash Credit Limit (CCL) to the tune of Rs 41,378 crore for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 has already been released by the RBI and farmers are being issued payments in time,” said Mann.

In Moga, a clash between farmers and rice millers over tardy lifting

The president of Moga’s Rice Miller Association Monday suffered a head injury after being allegedly attacked with sticks by a group of farmers. In protest, rice millers sat on a six-hour dharna which was lifted late in the evening after the farmers tendered a public apology.

This is a first such clash between millers and farmers in Punjab following the tardy lifting and below MSP rates of paddy in mandis this season. The dharna started at 2 pm and was lifted at 8 pm.Sources said a group of farmers from Bhloor village of Moga district had come to stage protest against one Krishan Kumar of K K Seed Store at Nihal Singhwala grain market. The farmers alleged that the seed store owner had sold them sub-standard hybrid seeds of paddy which had less yield and were not being purchased in mandis.

Inderjit Singh Jolly, president of Moga Rice Miller Association, said, “I went to the market to get the issue resolved. I requested the farmers to shift their dharna location elsewhere as they were sitting in front of KK Seed Store, owned by Krishan Kumar, and were obstructing his way. However, on this, the farmers started arguing with me and they even attacked me with sticks.”

Ranjit Singh Josan, vice-president of Punjab Rice Miller Association, said, “Already rice millers are in distress because of the storage issue. The available space to mill rice is 7 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against the total capacity of 166 LMT. We are being painted as villains which is not correct. A situation is being created where conflicts can happen between farmers and millers. It happened in Moga on Monday. We are not at fault but are being projected in a way as if millers have an issue with farmers.”

Josan said, “Farmers on Monday accused Jolly of siding with seed sellers and refusing to store their PR 126 and hybrid varieties in rice mills. They (farmers) alleged that this was causing their paddy crops to pile up unsold at the market.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Swati Tiwana, sub-divisional magistrate, Nihal Singhwala, said: “The matter has been resolved and rice millers have lifted the dharna now. The farmers apologised to Inderjeet Singh Jolly and he accepted that apology as well. As regards hybrid seeds, we will form a committee to look into the issue.”

Josan said they had accepted the apology of the farmers. District president of BKU Kadian was present on the occasion as the farmers were protesting under the banner of BKU (Kadian).

Harmeet Singh Kadian, president of BKU (Kadian), told The Indian Express, “Farmers are upset over hybrid seeds, less yield, etc. But violence is not any solution. I have asked our Moga district president to get the issue resolved.”Condemning the incident, Bharat Bhushan Binta, president of the Punjab Rice Industry, urged the Punjab government to take strict action against those exploiting the farmers’ agitation to target businessmen.

Vijay Kalra, president of the Ahrtiya Federation, said, “It is a serious issue which can’t be ignored. If it is not dealt with properly, it will be difficult for traders to step out of their homes.”Bal Kishan Bali, president of the Basmati Rice Millers and Exporters Association, too, condemned the attack

This article has been republished from The Indian Express