'Malls for agri produce not practical'

Huge difference in marketing of agricultural, industrial produce, says minister

A big decision of the previous Congress government to set up four agro malls in Panchkula, Karnal, Panipat and Rohtak was not practical, Haryana's Agriculture Minister, Om Prakash Dhankar said Sunday.

"There is huge difference in marketing of agricultural and industrial produce. Marketing of agricultural produce through Agro Mall is not practical," Dhankar told reporters here.

Dhankar said now the government is mulling using these Agro Malls as general malls or like shopping malls.

"However, the revenue generated through these malls would be utilised for the welfare of farmers," said Dhankar, who is leading a delegation of Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board on a China visit from November 24 to 29, to study in depth the level of infrastructure, systems, methods being provided in the Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Markets of the neighbouring nation.

Damage assessment
Asked about special girdawari (survey) to assess the damage caused by pest whitefly attack on cotton and other crops, the minister said that the work of girdawari has been completed and the distribution of compensation would be started within next 15 to 20 days.

On allegation levelled by opposition regarding scams in paddy procurement, the Minister termed these as false and baseless and further said that not a single farmer has lodged any complaint in this regard.

"Responsible opposition should not level such false charge," he said, hitting out at INLD and Congress, both of which have alleged paddy scam to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore.

Seeking to clear the air, Dhankar said, "Every year paddy is procured by rice millers on behalf of government agencies and for which necessary quota is prescribed. The farmers after harvesting their paddy through combine harvester machines bring the same hastily to the market, sometimes with moisture content of the crop as high as 22-25 per cent, much above the limit of 17 per cent, just in their bid to sell the produce immediately."

"The Arhitiyas or Commission Agents and the farmers arrive at a mutual agreement, which has been the practice in past years as well, on cut due to higher moisture content and the farmer willingly agrees to minus a few kgs per quintal which the Agent says will get less when he dries up the produce.

“Still, if any farmer comes forward and says that he had gone with his produce to the market within the prescribed moisture limit of 17 per cent, we will not take any time in revoking the license of that commission agent, if he is found guilty," Dhankar said.