For the farmers of South-West Haryana, the bounty of a good harvest was washed away in a single day of torrential rain. The sudden downpour has turned agricultural fields into lakes, leaving harvested Bajra submerged and sprouting.
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Double Whammy for Farmers: Unlike standing crops, harvested Bajra lying in “cut and spread” condition is highly susceptible to moisture. The rain has caused the grain to turn black (discoloration) and increased the moisture content well beyond the permissible limit of 14% for government purchase.
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Extent of Damage: Initial reports from the Agriculture Department suggest that thousands of acres across villages like Imlota, Rambas, and Fartiya have been affected. In Charkhi Dadri alone, officials estimated that nearly 1.5 lakh acres of Kharif crops (predominantly Bajra) faced varying degrees of damage due to the September rain spell.
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Mandi Crisis: The rains also impacted local mandis (grain markets), where thousands of quintals of Bajra were lying in the open due to a shortage of covered sheds. Farmers have alleged that the lack of prompt lifting by procurement agencies left their produce vulnerable to the elements.
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Government Relief Measures:
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Compensation: Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini later sanctioned over ₹35 crore specifically for Bajra damage across the state, with Charkhi Dadri receiving the highest district-wise share of approx. ₹23.55 crore and Bhiwani receiving ₹12.15 crore.
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Bhavantar Bharpai: To help farmers selling discolored grain to private players, the government reiterated the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (BBY), providing a price-difference incentive of ₹575 per quintal.
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Political Outcry: Opposition leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Abhay Singh Chautala, have demanded a “Special Girdawari” (field assessment) and a minimum compensation of ₹30,000 per acre for the affected farmers, citing that the current relief is insufficient for the input costs incurred.
