Ludhiana farmers fear crop damage due to delay in procurement

Farmers of Ludhiana are worried about their crops as fear of produce damage prevails amid delay in procurement.

Farmers of Ludhiana are worried about their crops as fear of produce damage prevails amid delay in procurement. Cultivators have been lining up at local grain markets to sell their wheat. However, they have been facing problems of slow procurement of the crop and poor storage.

"My crop is lying under the open sky at the mandi. There are no arrangements for preventing our produce from rain," said Sukhdev Singh, a farmer. "Government is lying that they have made adequate preparations for procuring our crops. If the rain comes, my crop will be washed away," he added.

On the other hand, the State government has assured adequate arrangements for crop sales and its procurement. Speaking to ANI, Punjab Food and Supply Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said, "There is no shortage of 'bardana' in mandis. Around 25-28 lakh mega tonne crops have already been procured. We are receiving 8-9 megatonne tonne crops daily."