Farmers are reportedly struggling to sell rain-damaged paddy at the Fazilka grain market, a week after incessant rainfall on October 11 caused extensive damage to the produce lying there. Both government procurement agencies and private traders are reluctant to purchase the damaged crop, leaving farmers in distress.The paddy stocks, exposed to rainwater amid alleged inadequate drainage arrangements, turned out to be discoloured and heated up, affecting their quality. Farmers allege that procurement agencies are refusing to purchase the damaged produce, while private traders are offering prices well below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).Prem Kumar, a farmer from Jorki Kankar Wali village, said his paddy had been damaged and discoloured by the rain, but no buyer was willing to purchase it, even at a reduced price.Private traders, including rice mill owners, who had been purchasing the PR variety of paddy at Rs 2,466 per quintal which is Rs 5 above the MSP of Rs 2,461 per quintal are now reluctant to buy rain-damaged produce at reasonable prices.“The government had promised to procure every single grain, and it is time to honour that promise,” said farmers Ashok Kumar of Penchan Wali village and Gurpinder Singh of Banwala village.Meanwhile, the assessment of paddy washed away or damaged by rainwater is still underway. Sanjeev Goldy Sachdeva, president of the Arhtiya Association, Fazilka, said nearly 7,000 quintals of paddy had either been washed away or damaged due to the rainfall. He added that a list of the affected stocks had been submitted to the concerned authorities.However, some farmers were submitting inflated estimates of crop damage. Mandeep Kamra, Secretary of the Market Committee, said inspectors from various procurement agencies were verifying the claims and that farmers would be suitably compensated for their losses.The heavy rainfall on October 11 exposed the grain market’s longstanding drainage problem. Water accumulated to a depth of up to three feet in some areas, washing away loose paddy and causing extensive damage to filled bags. Farmers and commission agents are now awaiting the completion of the assessment process and the resumption of procurement of the damaged produce.