‘Kala Tela’ attacks standing paddy crop, farmers forced to premature reaping

PATIALA: Black hopper (Kala Tela) has attacked the standing paddy crop here forcing the farmers to reap the crop pre-maturely with moisture, leading to a glut of the crop in the markets.
Dr. Parminder Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), explained that ‘Kala Tela’ hits paddy at the stem. The recommended pesticide spray did not fully reach the lower part of the paddy plant making the effort go waste.
He said the black-hopper was attacking the crop as there was lot of humidity in the weather.A little rain was the need of the hour which would clear black-hopper.
He advised the farmers not to reap paddy prematurely as that would affect its quality.
Gurcharan Singh, general secretary, of Patiala district Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) disclosed that farmers due to spreading of ‘Kala Tela’ were being forced to early reaping of paddy which contained moisture. The markets were not buying the crop with moisture beyond permissible 17 %, leading to a glut.
The farmers from villages along the Haryana border were facing problems of sale in Ismanabad, Pehowa, Cheeka, and Ambala grain markets.
Kulwinder Singh of Jalalabad village took his crop to Pehowa market where he was offered a rate which was Rs 55 less per quintal than the minimum support price (MSP). The MSP for ‘A’ grade paddy was Rs 1510 per quintal. The MSP for common varieties was Rs 1470 per quintal.
Kulwinder Singh, after bargaining, sold his produce at a price which was Rs 20 per quintal less than the MSP.
In Punjab there was no distress selling but the moisture level in the marketed produce was beyond the permissible limit. This had led to stockpiling of paddy in ‘mandis’ as the procurement agencies refused to buy paddy with moisture beyond the fixed limit.
Gurcharan Singh said that the procurement agencies were buying the paddy at MSP. There was no problem in the sale of paddy with 17% moisture.
However, Kulwinder Singh Sidhu of Gurnam Singh and Co alleged that since October 1, no inspector and no gunny bags had arrived in the Patiala city market.
He disclosed that Rice Sheller owners had gone on a strike and were not allowing storage of the crop. The procurement agencies were maintaining that when there was no storage place how could they purchase paddy?
On the other hand the ministers of the SAD-BJP government were tasked to visit markets and ensure that farmers did not face any problem. Cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, deputy commissioner Ramvir Singh and district food and civil supplies officer (DFSC) Harjit Kaur were touring the markets to supervise the procurement process.
DC Ramvir Singh when contacted said that the Rice Sheller owners had some problems which needed state level solution. District administration was not in picture.
He emphasised that procurement was being done at its normal pace in the entire district.