Punjab: Rains cause loss in lustre of wheat crop in mandis

Neel Kamal | TNN | May 4, 2020, 08:07 IST

Representative Image

BATHINDA: Heavy rains in many areas of Barnala, Bathinda and Mansa districts in the Malwa region on Sunday evening caused damage to wheat kept in the mandis. Heaps of wheat partially covered with tarpaulin sheet got soaked, raising the moisture content and causing lustre loss, said farmers and commission agents.
Farmers complained that due to shortage of bardana (jute bags), a sizeable quantity of wheat could not be filled in bags in many mandis and many heaps of farmers were yet to be purchased. With heavy rains, the moisture content in uncovered wheat is expected to go very high, along with losing lustre and shrivelled grains.
Almost 90 lakh MT wheat has been procured in Punjab, whereas 135 lakh MT is expected to reach the mandis in the days to come.
Rains had lashed most parts of the state in the last week of April due, to similar damage to wheat produce. The state government had demanded relaxation of norms but the Union government imposed value cut from Rs 4.81 to Rs 24 per quintal. The farmers vehemently opposed the move and wanted the value cut to be withdrawn.
Punjab director of agriculture Sutantar Kumar Airi said the reports of rains and its impact on wheat crop in mandis were being gathered.