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Chandigarh: In a major relief for farmers amid the ongoing procurement season, Punjab’s arhtiyas on Wednesday called off their week-long strike following assurances from the state government, paving the way for the resumption of wheat procurement across mandis.
The breakthrough came after a high-level meeting chaired by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, held on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
During the meeting at Kisan Bhawan, a delegation of arhtiyas, led by the president of the Federation of Arhtiyas Association of Punjab, Vijay Kalra, discussed their pending demands with the ministers. Following the government’s assurance of sympathetic consideration and early resolution of genuine issues, the association announced the immediate withdrawal of the strike.
Welcoming the development, Khudian acknowledged the challenges farmers have faced due to recent adverse weather conditions and emphasised the need for collective support. “All of us — the government, arhtiyas and other stakeholders — depend on farmers. While natural hardships cannot be controlled, we can certainly stand united to support each other,” he said.
Reiterating his open-door approach, the minister said issues need not always require formal meetings. “Even small, sincere conversations can resolve big problems. If any arhtiya or farmer faces difficulty, we will sit together and find a solution,” he added.
Vijay Kalra termed the resolution a positive outcome of dialogue, stating, “We are a family, and differences within a family are resolved through discussion. Farmers remain our top priority.”
The ministers also directed officials to ensure smooth, transparent and hassle-free procurement operations across all mandis, underlining the state government’s commitment to safeguarding farmers’ interests while addressing the concerns of commission agents. The resumption of procurement is expected to bring normalcy to grain markets at a crucial time, especially as farmers begin to arrive with their wheat amid weather-related uncertainties.
