Agra: Mustard crop harvesting has started in parts of Agra region but the authorities are yet to open procurement centres for purchasing the crop.
According to the district agriculture department, this season, mustard was sown in 61,000 hectares. Apart from potato and wheat, mustard is a major crop of Agra district.
The sowing takes place in October-November and the crop is ready for harvesting in about 100 days.
Shyamveer Singh, a farmer at Samara village of Fatehpur Sikri block, said, “The district administration is hardly concerned about our problems. The mustard crop is ready for harvesting but so far, no procurement centre has been set up. A majority of the farmers don’t have suitable arrangements for storing the crop. We will have to sell the produce to traders at rates lesser than minimum support price (MSP).”
Mohan Singh Chahar, regional president of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, said, “Farmers were among the worst-hit by the lockdown. Hundreds of them are desperately waiting for the state government to announce the MSP for mustard. In case, the procurement centres are not opened soon, they will be forced to sell their produce at Rs 3,400 to 3,800 per quintal in the open market. The MSP was Rs 4,425 per quintal last year. Following favorable weather conditions, farmers’ expect a bumper produce this year.”
District agriculture officer Rampravesh Verma said, “The procurement centres for purchase of mustard will be made operational soon. This year, direct-purchase centres will be opened in more than two blocks of the district. Suitable action will be taken to ensure farmers face no inconvenience in selling their produce at government centres at the MSP.”
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEMail
Recent Comments