PEN OF DEMOCRACY

Kumari Selja Flags Haryana Farmers’ Crisis as Rain, Hailstorm and DAP Shortage Hit Agriculture

Congress leader seeks special crop damage assessment, compensation, faster paddy lifting and transparent fertiliser distribution

CHANDIGARH | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK

Unseasonal rainfall, hailstorms, delays in paddy lifting at mandis and concerns over diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser availability have placed Haryana’s farmers under mounting pressure, Congress leader Kumari Selja has said. She urged the state government to assess crop damage without delay, compensate affected farmers and address problems in procurement and fertiliser distribution.

Selja, the Member of Parliament from Sirsa, former Union minister, Congress national general secretary and member of the Congress Working Committee, said farmers were facing difficulties at several stages of the agricultural cycle. While weather conditions threatened crops in the fields, harvested paddy was reportedly getting wet while awaiting lifting at mandis. The availability of fertiliser for the next wheat sowing season had added another concern.

Rain and Hail Raise Concerns Over Crop Damage

Selja said rainfall and hailstorms in parts of Sirsa and Fatehabad districts could have affected paddy and other crops. She specifically referred to Rania, Dabwali, Ding, Ratia and Tohana, where the extent of possible damage needs to be assessed.

She called on the government to examine the situation promptly in these and other affected districts. A timely assessment, she said, is necessary to establish the extent of losses and ensure that eligible farmers receive relief under the applicable rules.

Farmers facing crop losses because of adverse weather need a clear and timely response from the administration, Selja said. She sought special crop damage assessments in affected areas so that growers are not left uncertain about the condition of their crops or the relief available to them.

Wet Paddy and Slow Lifting Add to Mandi Difficulties

The Congress leader also raised concerns over the pace of paddy lifting at procurement mandis. She said paddy lying in mandis while awaiting lifting had been exposed to rain, increasing farmers’ worries about the condition and value of their produce.

Selja said the government must ensure adequate covered space, tarpaulins and proper drainage at mandis. Timely lifting arrangements are equally important so that harvested produce does not remain exposed to adverse weather for extended periods.

The procurement process is a critical stage for farmers who depend on selling their produce to meet household expenses and cover agricultural costs. Delays can add to uncertainty, particularly when rain threatens crops already harvested and brought to market.

Selja said the Congress had previously called for faster paddy lifting, but arrangements had not improved sufficiently. She urged the government to strengthen mandi management and ensure that procurement, storage and transportation work in coordination, especially during unsettled weather.

DAP Availability Becomes a Concern Ahead of Wheat Sowing

Selja said farmers were facing difficulties not only while trying to sell paddy but also while arranging fertiliser for the next crop. With wheat sowing approaching, concerns about DAP availability and distribution have added to the pressure on agricultural households.

She referred to complaints from Panipat and other districts regarding fertiliser availability and distribution. The government, she said, should publish district-wise demand and available stock figures and ensure supplies are distributed transparently.

Clear information about demand, stock and distribution can help farmers understand where supplies are available and enable authorities to identify gaps between local requirements and actual availability. Selja called for the administration to respond to complaints and ensure farmers can obtain the fertiliser needed for timely sowing.

For farmers preparing for the next crop, uncertainty over essential inputs can complicate planning and add to the cost and stress of cultivation. Selja said the government should treat these concerns seriously and take practical steps to improve supply arrangements.

Congress Seeks Compensation and Better Agricultural Management

Outlining the Congress’s position, Selja said the party’s approach is centred on ensuring a fair price for farmers’ produce, timely payments, affordable agricultural inputs and just compensation when natural disasters cause losses.

She urged the state government to initiate special crop damage assessments in affected areas, evaluate losses involving paddy that had become wet in mandis and provide compensation to eligible farmers. She also called for improvements in paddy procurement and lifting, along with better arrangements for DAP supply.

The demands, she said, require coordinated action across the administration. Crop damage assessments must establish the extent of losses; mandi arrangements must protect produce and prevent avoidable delays; and fertiliser distribution must respond to the needs of farmers preparing for the next sowing cycle.

Timely Action Needed to Reduce Farmers’ Burden

Selja said providing relief to farmers should be the government’s highest priority. She called for a prompt assessment of affected crops, compensation for farmers facing verified losses, better protection for produce at mandis and a transparent system for fertiliser distribution.

The situation, she said, requires attention to the entire chain of agricultural activity—from crop conditions in the fields to the safe handling and lifting of harvested produce, and the availability of inputs for the next season. Her appeal calls on the state government to respond quickly and ensure that weather-related losses, mandi delays and fertiliser difficulties do not compound the challenges faced by agricultural households.

PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK

A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE