Rice mill owners boycott agencies

LUDHIANA: In a major jolt to state government, more than 4,000 rice mill owners have decided not to deal with grain procurement agencies to press upon agencies to lift rice milled in the previous season. Punjab Shellers Association revealed that previous year���s stocks are still lying with around 800 mills in the state.
The decision is expected to affect lifting of rice grains from grain markets as usually, after procuring rice from farmers in markets, government procurement agencies transport it immediately to nearby mills for processing.
No mill would allow procurement of new stocks of rice until the previous stocks are cleared, said Tarsem Lal Saini, president of Punjab Shellers Association. He said representatives from all districts have taken the decision.
He said mill-owners have been facing a problem as the earlier stocks have not been cleared and it would not be possible for them to stock fresh rice for the current season.
Saini said millers would not stop their protest till state government fulfils their demands. ���We want government to abolish the prevailing replacement system,��� he said, adding that the system encourages corruption. Non-lifting of rice from village markets would lead to congestion at mandis wherein farmers would not find place to unload their agricultural produce for procurement by agencies, he stated.
Hari Om Mittal, president of the district association, commented, ���The association has been forced to take this tough stand because all previous representations had failed to yield any results.���
Mittal added, ���We have decided to boycott all government agencies in the state.��� Leaving aside a few basmati varieties, procurement for rest of the paddy varieties in the state is being made by various government agencies. In a way, the entire procurement process is being managed by these agencies. Though a few private players also procure crop from farmers, their share is negligible.