Chandigarh, April 9 -- Commission agents (arhtiyas) in Punjab on Wednesday called off their strike, citing solidarity with farmers whose wheat crop has been damaged by recent rainfall and hailstorms across the state. The decision was taken after a meeting with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who assured the agents that their concerns would be taken up with Union consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Pralhad Joshi. A meeting with the Union minister is expected in New Delhi on April 11. The arhtiyas had gone on strike from April 1, coinciding with the opening of wheat procurement in mandis. However, with crop arrivals beginning and moisture levels exceeding the permissible limit of 22% due to unseasonal rains, the agents decided to resume operations to help farmers sell their produce. "We have called off the strike in support of farmers so that their produce becomes saleable," said Punjab Arhtiyas Association president Vijay Kalra. The agents have been demanding an increase in commission (dami) to 2.5% of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), replacing the existing fixed rate of Rs.50 per quintal. They are also seeking the release of Rs.55 crore deducted as Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for labour and the extension of commission benefits to grain procured for storage in silos. So far, around 12,000 tonnes of wheat have arrived in mandis, including those in Patiala, Rajpura and Khanna. Procurement operations, however, have been delayed due to the ongoing spell of rainfall....