Ropar Farmers Block Chandigarh-Manali Highway Over 5 kg Cut on Hybrid Paddyਹਾਈਬ੍ਰਿਡ ਝੋਨੇ 'ਤੇ 5 ਕਿਲੋ ਕੱਟ ਖ਼ਿਲਾਫ਼ ਰੋਪੜ ਦੇ ਕਿਸਾਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ-ਮਨਾਲੀ ਹਾਈਵੇ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਮ

Farmers in Ropar blocked the Chandigarh-Manali national highway for nearly three hours on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, protesting against a deduction of five kilograms per quintal that they say is being demanded before their hybrid paddy is bought.

The blockade outside the Ropar grain market left long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road, and came on the same day the Punjab government said procurement across the state was running smoothly.

What happened at the Ropar grain market?

Farmers gathered at the grain market on Tuesday and then moved onto the highway, which runs past the mandi. Punjabi Jagran reported that Kisan Union Shere Punjab and other farm organisations led the protest. Traffic stayed disrupted while farm leaders met officials.

Police and civil administration officers reached the spot and opened talks with the protesters, Punjab Newsline reported. The administration assured farmers that vehicles would be sent to lift the paddy lying in the market.

What is the five-kilogram cut?

According to the protesting farmers, sheller owners are refusing to take hybrid paddy unless farmers accept a deduction of five kilograms on every quintal. Rozana Spokesman reported farmers as saying they had sown the hybrid varieties on the government's advice, and that millers were now reluctant to buy them. Punjabi Jagran quoted farm leaders blaming commission agents for the cut and calling it open looting of farmers.

The farmers demanded that the deduction be stopped and that their crop be bought on the government's set norms. These are the farmers' allegations; a response from sheller owners or commission agents was not reported.

Why are farmers also angry about lifting?

Gaurav Rana, convener of Punjab Morcha, said the crop had been ready for about 15 days but farmers were struggling to get it bought, and he questioned delays in lifting paddy from the market. Farm leaders told Punjabi Jagran that bags of paddy were piling up in the district's mandis, leaving little space for fresh arrivals, and that mandi staff had told them shellers had not yet been allotted to the markets.

What does the state government say?

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, reviewing procurement at Sirhind on Tuesday, said 6.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy had reached Punjab's mandis so far, of which 5.70 lakh tonnes had been procured, and that Rs 781 crore had been paid to farmers, The Tribune reported. He said every grain would be bought and that Punjab has a target of 180 lakh tonnes for the central pool.

It was not reported whether the deduction at Ropar had been withdrawn after the talks.

Why did farmers block the Chandigarh-Manali highway in Ropar?

They were protesting against a five-kilogram-per-quintal deduction they say sheller owners demand before buying hybrid paddy, and against slow lifting of paddy from the grain market.

How long was the highway blocked?

Traffic on the Chandigarh-Manali highway outside the Ropar grain market was disrupted for nearly three hours on October 6, 2026.

How much paddy has Punjab procured so far this season?

Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said on October 6 that 5.70 lakh metric tonnes had been procured out of 6.30 lakh tonnes that had arrived in mandis.