MUKTSAR, May 2 — Overnight rain wreaked havoc on wheat stocks lying exposed in grain markets across Muktsar district, causing extensive damage and sparking outrage among farmers, commission agents, and labourers, who say their repeated warnings went ignored.
The heavy downpour drenched thousands of gunny bags and open heaps of wheat, with those on the ground warning that the grain quality is likely to deteriorate significantly.
According to local estimates, it could take up to 10 days for the soaked wheat to dry fully, raising concerns over both quality degradation and market value.
“The wheat has been lying here for days because there’s been no timely lifting. Now it’s soaked. We’re facing losses and no one is taking responsibility,” said a commission agent at the Muktsar mandi.
While the district’s farmers and labourers have been voicing concern over sluggish transportation from mandis for days, authorities had continued to assert that the situation was improving.
“The lifting process is gaining pace with each passing day,” said Sukhwinder Singh, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller, earlier this week.
But mandi workers and arhtiyas tell a different story. A large volume of wheat stock remains uncovered and exposed to the elements, highlighting the lack of adequate infrastructure and transport arrangements. The backlog, they say, only increased after the latest rain.
“We informed officials about the risk, but no preventive steps were taken,” said a labourer. “Now the labour costs for salvaging the stock will go up, and the burden will fall on us and the commission agents.”
As farmers anxiously wait for the skies to clear, the weather remains overcast in the region, leaving the situation precarious for those depending on prompt procurement and payment.
