Kurukshetra: The Centre has approved the advancement of paddy procurement in Haryana for the 2026-27 Kharif Marketing Season to Sept 29, two days ahead of the scheduled Oct 1 start, amid growing arrivals and recent farmer protests at Shahabad in Kurukshetra district.In a letter dated Sept 28, the department of food and public distribution, Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, conveyed the Centre’s approval to Haryana’s food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department.The approval followed requests from the Haryana govt dated Sept 15 and Sept 23 seeking an early start to procurement.The letter from the Centre stated that procurement in Haryana had been approved to commence from Sept 29 instead of Oct 1.The approval, however, comes with conditions communicated earlier to the state govt. Haryana has been asked to put in place adequate checks and safeguards to prevent irregular procurement and rationalise the methodology for fixing yields, including district-wise yields, on the basis of objective and verifiable parameters so that procurement remains commensurate with actual production.The state has also been directed to implement AgriStack in procurement operations by the next Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) to strengthen validation of farmers and land records, and improve the integrity of the procurement process. The Centre has sought a report from the Haryana govt on the implementation of these measures.The decision comes after a tense standoff between farmers and the Haryana govt over procurement of early-maturing paddy varieties. Farmers led by the BKU (Charuni) staged protests at Shahabad last week, demanding immediate procurement.On Sept 22, the agitation escalated after police stopped protesters attempting to move towards NH-44 using water cannons and tear gas.The protest was called off after the state govt assured farmers that paddy could be brought to mandis and gate passes would be issued while it pursued the Centre’s approval for early procurement.On Monday, Gurnam Singh Charuni, the national president of the BKU (Charuni), however, objected to the condition regarding district-wise fixation of average yields. He said capping procurement on the basis of district-wise average yield would hurt farmers whose actual production was higher.“Fixing the procurement limit at only 25 quintals per acre in a district is not justified. It would cause substantial losses to farmers whose actual yield exceeds 25 quintals per acre. If a farmer produces a higher crop due to hard work, investment and favourable weather, he should be allowed to sell his entire produce through the govt procurement system,” Charuni said.He argued that crop yields vary depending on weather, soil quality, irrigation and other factors and demanded that procurement be based on each farmer’s actual girdawari and crop records rather than district-wise averages.Charuni also claimed that the district-wise average yield data released by govt was lower than actual yields and sought its revision in consultation with agricultural experts.Ahead of formal approval for procurement from the Centre, Haryana enabled e-Kharid gate passes for paddy arrivals on Saturday. Market committees were instructed to record photographs and registration numbers of vehicles, along with details of the farmers bringing their produce to mandis.
