Kumari Selja Seeks Strong Paddy Procurement Arrangements Across Haryana
All India Congress Committee general secretary, Congress Working Committee member and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja has called upon the Haryana government to ensure comprehensive arrangements at grain markets and procurement centres as paddy begins arriving for sale, stressing that farmers should not be forced to face unnecessary delays, long waits or administrative difficulties while disposing of their produce.
Selja said the arrival of paddy marks an important period for thousands of farming families and that procurement agencies, market committees and concerned departments should make all necessary arrangements well in advance. She emphasised that timely procurement, smooth weighing, adequate gunny bags, sufficient storage space and prompt lifting of procured paddy are essential to prevent congestion and inconvenience at mandis.
She also stressed the need for basic facilities for farmers visiting procurement centres, including drinking water, seating arrangements and other essential amenities. According to Selja, any disruption in the procurement process can have a direct impact on a farmer’s financial position because delays in selling the crop can affect the ability to prepare for the next agricultural cycle.
Focus on procurement, storage and lifting
The Congress leader said farmers should be provided with a clear and transparent procurement system so that they know where and when their produce will be purchased and do not have to make repeated visits to government offices or market yards. She said the government should ensure that the procurement process remains simple, predictable and accessible to farmers during the peak arrival period.
Selja pointed out that farmers have traditionally faced a range of difficulties during the procurement of major crops, including paddy, wheat and cotton. These, she said, can include delays in procurement, problems related to weighing and lifting, and waiting for payments. She urged the government to address such issues before the procurement season gathers pace so that farmers are not left waiting for basic services after bringing their produce to the mandis.
She called for a detailed review of arrangements at all grain markets and procurement centres across Haryana and said coordination between procurement agencies and mandi administrations should be strengthened. She also demanded an effective mechanism for dealing with farmers’ complaints quickly, with practical channels for resolving problems related to procurement, weighing, storage, lifting or payment.
Concern over DAP availability
Alongside paddy procurement, Selja raised concerns over the availability of DAP fertiliser. She said timely availability of fertiliser is a basic requirement of agricultural operations and claimed that farmers in several parts of Haryana are having to stand in long queues to obtain DAP.
She claimed that in some places farmers have been reaching fertiliser outlets late at night or during the early hours to secure supplies. According to her, such a situation causes farmers to lose valuable time and adds to the difficulties they already face during the agricultural season.
Selja urged the government to assess the actual requirement of DAP in different parts of the state and ensure adequate stocks before demand peaks. She also called for a transparent distribution mechanism so that eligible farmers can obtain fertiliser according to their requirement without having to make repeated rounds of dealers and offices.
She further called for strict monitoring against hoarding and black marketing, while emphasising that the distribution system should be designed in a way that prevents genuine farmers from being unnecessarily inconvenienced.
‘Farmers need support, not additional hurdles’
Selja said farmers form a vital foundation of the state and national economy and that rising agricultural input costs, weather uncertainty and difficulties associated with crop marketing can place additional pressure on farming families. She urged the government to approach the procurement season with sensitivity and responsibility and to ensure that administrative arrangements remain focused on facilitating farmers rather than creating additional hurdles.
She also called for better coordination between government departments, procurement agencies and mandi authorities so that the movement of harvested paddy from farms to markets and subsequently to storage facilities remains smooth. According to Selja, adequate arrangements for procurement, storage and lifting should be completed before large quantities of paddy begin accumulating in mandis.
She said the objective should be to ensure that farmers can bring their produce to the market, complete the required formalities and sell their crop without prolonged waiting. She also reiterated the need for adequate fertiliser availability so that farmers preparing for the next crop are not compelled to spend hours or days searching for essential agricultural inputs.
Selja said the interests of farmers should remain at the centre of the procurement and agricultural supply system. She called for timely action rather than corrective measures after problems have already emerged.
She concluded by urging the Haryana government to review arrangements across procurement centres, strengthen coordination among the concerned agencies and establish an effective mechanism for addressing farmers’ complaints. She said farmers should be able to sell their produce with dignity, receive the applicable MSP through the established procurement process and obtain essential fertilisers on time.
