CHANDIGARH: Harvesting and marketing of potato and horticulture produce by farmers will go on in Punjab with necessary restrictions relating to COVID-19 precautions.
Capt. Amarinder Singh government on Friday assured smooth procurement and timely payments of the produce while asking the departments concerned to allow harvesting of the horticulture crops.
Besides, wheat harvesting in the state will also commence around mid-April if weather conditions turn favourable. The wheat harvesting is delayed due to unfavourable weather conditions and is likely to start only by April 12-15, Amarinder Singh said after reviewing arrangements for harvesting of wheat and potato crops. Detailed guidelines for wheat harvesting were expected to be issued by March 31, 2020, said an official spokesperson.
Proper harvesting arrangements are being put in place for harvesting and storage of potato crop, said the CM. He directed officials of horticulture department, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and Punjab Mandi Board to work out the modalities, in coordination with the respective district officials, to allow farmers to harvest and transport their horticulture produce for seamless marketing without putting them to any more hardship.
An official said that a detailed list of District Mandi Officers, along with their contact numbers, has been issued by Punjab Mandi Board so that farmers can contact the officers concerned.
In line with the Chief Minister’s directive, the Additional Chief Secretary and Development-cum-Financial Commissioner (Horticulture) has also issued an advisory asking all Deputy Commissioners to grant the relevant permissions/relaxation to the farm labourers and farmers for harvesting and transporting the horticulture produce including vegetables to the markets and cold storage.
Director Horticulture Shailender Kaur has provided a comprehensive list of farmers who require labourers for harvesting and need transportation of their produce to the markets as well as cold stores. Also, 69 FPOs comprising nearly 600 farmers have been contacted and assured full cooperation from the government in this regard.
The fruit-growers, especially in the citrus belt of Hoshiarpur, Fazilka, Muktsar Sahib and Bathinda districts, the potato-growers in the districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Moga, Ludhiana and Bathinda districts and vegetable-growers in the state were facing problems in harvesting and marketing
due to the lockdown orders by the National Disaster Management Authority on March 24.