Farmers under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) blocked the Ambala-Hisar road for a couple of hours to protest against a cap on paddy procurement. The farmers staged a dharna on the road and raised slogans against the state government. They lifted the protest after officials reached the spot and gave them an assurance.
Why Farmers Protested the Paddy Procurement Cap
The farmers said the government had set a procurement limit of 26.26 quintals per acre. Because of this limit, they were facing difficulties in selling their entire produce. The cap meant that any paddy grown beyond that quantity per acre would not be bought by government agencies.
The farmers demanded that the government ensure the entire crop is procured by government agencies. They said that without full procurement, farmers would be forced to sell their paddy at lower rates to private players.
Officials Step In to End the Ambala Road Blockade
SDM, Ambala City, Darshan Kumar and Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA), Ambala, Wazir Singh reached the spot and managed to pacify the farmers. The farmers then lifted their dharna after receiving an assurance from the officials.
The protest was short but it disrupted traffic on the Ambala-Hisar road for a couple of hours. The road is a key route in the region, and blocking it drew attention to the farmers' grievance over the procurement limit.
Our Take: The Procurement Cap Problem Needs a Permanent Fix
In our view, this protest shows a real gap between government policy and what farmers actually need. A procurement cap of 26.26 quintals per acre may look reasonable on paper, but for a farmer with a good harvest, it means part of the crop has no government buyer. That pushes them toward private traders who can set lower prices.
To put it plainly, the assurance given by officials ended the dharna for now, but it does not solve the problem. Farmers blocked a major road because they felt the system was not buying what they grew. If the same cap stays in place, similar protests can return.
The state government should look at whether the per-acre limit matches actual yields. Farmers should not be punished for producing more. A clear procurement policy that covers the full crop would prevent these road blockades and give farmers a fair price without a fight.
Sources & References
- Original news report on the Ambala-Hisar road blockade and paddy procurement cap protest