Paddy procurement: Weighing yet to begin at government centres, rain soaks paddy at Kichha mandi; farmers protest across district

Government procurement of paddy has still not begun at purchase centres in Udham Singh Nagar, and farmers are protesting at several places. On Wednesday, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) staged a sit-in demanding paddy procurement and kept three officials, including a deputy RMO of the food department, seated for about four hours. Farmers on a sit-in at the Rudrapur grain mandi on Tuesday said about 50 per cent of the district's paddy has already reached the market, but with no government buying they are having to sell to private traders at lower prices. Rain after a storm on Wednesday soaked paddy lying in the open at the Kichha mandi, and standing crops fell in fields at several places. In Kashipur, the Kisan Congress protested at the SDM office demanding immediate procurement and a survey of rain damage with compensation. Farmers in Bajpur have warned of a road blockade (chakka jam) as weighing at the mandi has stalled. In Khatima, farmers who shut the mandi gate and sat on a dharna called it off after talks with the SDM. Farmers also staged a dharna in Jaspur. (Source: Amar Ujala, Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan)