Karnal, Oct. 15 -- The members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Wednesday locked and surrounded the market committee offices at grain markets across the state for three hours to protest alleged failures in government crop procurement, non-receipt of minimum support price (MSP) and fertiliser shortages.

Farmer leaders said discrepancies occurred in paddy purchase regarding MSP, moisture and weighting.

Because government procurement agencies do not reach the market on time to purchase, private buyers are purchasing the paddy crop at rates lower than the MSP of Rs.2,461 per quintal, they said.

Protesting at the new grain market in Karnal, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU)'s Sir Chhotu Ram Bahadur Mehla Baldi, alleged that in many places, ra...