Rain exposes wheat at Kharkhoda mandi, delays in lifting draw flak

Sonipat: Thousands of wheat sacks were left exposed at Kharkhoda grain market and soaked in an unexpected spell of rain on Wednesday, triggering concern among farmers and traders over procurement and lifting delays.Market stakeholders blamed an acute shortage of transport vehicles and delayed lifting. Mandi association president Naresh Kumar acknowledged inadequate transportation arrangements had aggravated the problem, leaving large quantities of grain in the open for days.Former mandi chairman Rohtash Dahiya said once the crop is weighed, responsibility shifts to commission agents. "With wheat lying in the open, rain has affected both quality and value, leading to losses," he said. Traders now face additional costs to dry the produce.Commission agents alleged that the contractor failed to deploy enough vehicles. Some also flagged discrepancies in weight, claiming instances of grain being siphoned off during transport. Reports of wheat and packaging material being recovered from a vehicle have also raised suspicion.Farmer bodies said the situation remained critical. BKU state vice-president Satyawan Narwal claimed nearly 25% of wheat is still lying in the open, with another 25% awaiting lifting. "Tarpaulin covers are inadequate and weather remains uncertain," he said.BKU leader Sanjay Dahiya said farmers have not received payments even after 20 days, as lifting delays have stalled disbursal, adding to financial distress.Mandi secretary Suresh Khokhar admitted rain damage but said efforts are underway to dry the produce. He said the Ajmer-based contractor has been issued a notice over vehicle shortages, and commission agents have been directed to arrange tarpaulins or face action.The mandi has received around 6.2 lakh quintals of wheat so far, of which about 3.84 lakh quintals have been lifted. Daily arrivals are between 45,000 and 55,000 quintals. Procurement began on April 16.Farmers have demanded immediate payments and faster lifting, saying delays are affecting preparations for the next crop.
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