Farmers call off ‘rail roko’ after Centre eases wheat-buying norms
April 17, 2026
Bathinda: Farm groups called off their proposed rail blockade protest on Friday after the Union consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministr.
Farmer organizations across Punjab have called off a statewide ‘rail roko’ protest that was scheduled to disrupt train services on Friday. The decision to suspend the agitation came after the central government announced a significant relaxation in quality standards for wheat procurement, a move aimed at resolving an impasse that had left farmers in distress. Major unions, including those affiliated with the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, confirmed the cancellation, providing relief to both the agricultural community and railway passengers. The protest had been planned to take place at numerous locations across the state, threatening widespread disruption.
The conflict stemmed from the adverse impact of unseasonal rains and hailstorms that occurred in late March and early April. This untimely weather damaged the mature wheat crop just before harvest, leading to a loss of shine, or "lustre," and an increase in the percentage of shrivelled grains. As a result, much of the wheat arriving at procurement centers did not meet the government's stringent Fair Average Quality (FAQ) specifications. This led to a deadlock, with procurement agencies unable to purchase the grain, leaving farmers stranded in markets with their produce and facing the prospect of distress sales to private traders at prices below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
In response to the growing crisis and the protest call, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution intervened on Friday. The government eased the procurement norms specifically for Punjab and Chandigarh, following similar relaxations granted earlier to Rajasthan and Haryana. Under the new specifications, the limit for lustre loss has been relaxed to 70%, and the allowance for shrivelled and broken grain has been increased from 6% to 15%. This critical decision allows farmers to sell their weather-affected produce to government agencies at the full MSP of Rs 2,585 per quintal, preventing significant financial losses.
The timeline of the issue shows a rapid escalation and resolution. Following the crop damage, the Punjab government formally requested a relaxation in norms on April 9. The Centre dispatched teams on April 10 to assess the crop condition across various districts. However, as procurement remained stalled, farmer unions announced their plan for the 'rail roko' on April 17 to pressure the government for a swift resolution. The Centre's announcement of the revised norms on the very day of the planned protest proved decisive in averting the confrontation.
While the immediate crisis has been averted, farmer leaders have clarified that the protest is only suspended, not permanently withdrawn. They have adopted a "wait and watch" approach for the next three days to ensure that the government's new orders are implemented effectively on the ground and that the procurement process accelerates without further hitches. Officials expect that the relaxed norms will now pave the way for faster and smoother procurement, providing much-needed relief to farmers and ensuring the central pool stocks are bolstered for the season.
Source: toi