Farmers have raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in moisture content readings recorded by different agencies using separate devices at grain markets, claiming that inconsistent results are causing confusion, procurement hurdles and financial losses during the ongoing paddy procurement season.Farmers said procurement agencies, Mandi Board officials, commission agents and rice millers were testing moisture levels in paddy using their own machines, often producing conflicting results for the same lot of produce.They cited instances where one moisture meter reportedly showed a moisture content of 22 per cent, while another recorded 16 per cent for the same produce. Under central procurement norms, paddy must meet Fair Average Quality (FAQ) standards, which prescribe a maximum moisture content of 17 per cent for procurement.“These inconsistent readings often lead to rejection of produce or deductions. Only the Punjab Mandi Board should be authorised to check moisture levels,” said farmer Gurbakhshish Singh from Bhawnigarh.Farmers alleged that some buyers reject paddy or impose deductions of around Rs 250 per quintal on the basis of higher moisture readings, adding to their financial burden during procurement.Tejwant Singh Benipal from Ludhiana demanded that the permissible moisture limit be raised from 17 per cent to 20 per cent, particularly in years affected by unseasonal rain, fog and delayed harvesting.“Freshly harvested paddy, especially that harvested using combine harvesters, often contains higher moisture levels. Many farmers also lack adequate facilities to dry their produce before bringing it to mandis,” he said.Commenting on the issue, Ludhiana District Mandi Officer Gurmatpal Singh said the Punjab Mandi Board”s moisture meters were considered the legal and final authority for determining moisture content. He added that the meters were calibrated by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).Singh said moisture testing should ideally be conducted only by Mandi Board officials. However, commission agents and, in some cases, rice millers also tested paddy independently, often resulting in differing readings and disputes over procurement eligibility.