Congress, farmer bodies slam M.P. govt over delay in wheat procurement; BJP blames bag shortage due to West Asia war

Congress and farmers criticize M.P. government for delaying wheat procurement, while BJP blames bag shortages on West Asia war.

The Congress slammed Madhya Pradesh’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over multiple delays in the beginning of wheat procurement in the State, saying that the situation may force farmers to sell their produce to middle-persons at low prices. 

Several farmers’ organisations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) have also criticised the government and demanded the procurement be started soon. 

The criticism comes after the State government on March 30 said that the procurement will commence from April 10 in 24 districts of four divisions and from 15 April in the remaining 31 districts of remaining Chambal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa, Shahdol, and Sagar divisions. 

“Revising the procurement date by the State Government, wheat procurement will be done in Indore, Ujjain, Bhopal and Narmadapuram divisions from April 10 and wheat procurement in the remaining divisions will be done from April 15,” the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department said in an order.

This is the second time in the past one month that the government postponed the date. 

While procurement in the State usually begins from March 15, the government had earlier announced that it would commence from April 1 this year.