Punjab Arthias to boycott mandis, protest over unhappy with new moong procurement policy

Boycott mandis from June 1, gehrao of Market Committees on June 6, Protests on roads from June 11

Punjab Arthias to boycott mandis, protest over unhappy with new moong procurement policy

Ferozepur, June 1, 2022: The Punjab arthias have decided to close down the mandis from June 1 for procurement of moong dal and gehrao market committees on June 6 besides starting protest on roads from June 11.

Commending the Punjab government to start for the first time the purchase a lentils crop  (Moong Dal) other than paddy or wheat on minimum support price (MSP) in a decision aimed at encouraging farmers towards diversification, Vijay Kalra, President, Federation of Arthia Association of Punjab (know has arthias – Commission Agents – association said, it is unfortunate that the arthias are being ousted from the procurement process, which is in violation of the farmers of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing laws and their basic right.

He said, after holding a meeting in this regard, the Federation has urged the government to review the policy.

As per guidelines, arhtiyas charge 2.5% commission from the purchaser while selling crops from farmers, who sell their crop through the arhtiyas to the government agencies and private players. With the new policy, the state government can save 2.5% commission if they will purchase directly from farmers.

The Punjab government has appointed Markfed and Cooperative societies as nodal agencies to procure the crop from the farmers and have also issued licences for purchase and asked them to get renewed the licences where there is need of renewable.

Vijay Kalra said, the Federation has decided to gehrao the market committees from June 6 and protest on roads from June 11 and 40,000 arthias and thousands of labourerer will suffer.

Earlier, in the run-up to the assembly election, the then CM candidate of AAP Bhagwant Mann had praised arhtiyas for their important role in the procurement of crops. “However, now after becoming CM, he is ousting the arhtiyas from the process. The government is not only depriving us of the work, but is also violating the Punjab Agrilcutural Marketing laws.

He said that the Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan had also been informed in writing against the decision of the Center and Punjab government but no solution had been worked out.

Vijay Kalra, state president of the Arati Association, expressed concern that the government could do the same with Aratis when procuring maize and basmati after corn. He said that as their future was in jeopardy, the Federation of Arthia Association had decided that Aratis across Punjab would go on indefinite strike from June 1 against the inflexibility of the government.