Key Points
Procurement of paddy came to a standstill in Sangrur district on Wednesday after arthiyas (commission agents) went on a strike against the central government for lowering their commission.o)..
Demanding a rollback of the decision and the implementation of the old commission system, the agents said earlier they got 2.5% of the notified minimum support price (MSP) of the crop, but now their commission had been fixed lower at 46 per quintal, just 2% of the MSP..
Buggar Singh, a local farmer, said they were at the receiving end due to the strikes by labourers, rice-shellers and now by arhtiyas as their harvested crops were lying in the open at grain markets..
Another farmer from Namol, Happy Singh, said that the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government has been claiming to transfer crop payment to farmers within hours but due to the strike ofarhtiyas, the procurement process is at a standstill..
