Association says payments pending for 2 years; Firm calls claims disputed, matter is subjudice.
Pay Our Dues: Kotkapura Aarthiyas Sit-in Against TR Agro as Firm Denies Liability
Association threatens to intensify stir; TR Agro says being targeted, seeks court protection
Raghbir Singh Brar
Faridkot
Email: raghbirsinghbrar@gmail.com*
August 18, 2026
A large number of commission agents from the grain market in Kotkapura have launched an indefinite stage protest against firm TR Agro, alleging that the company owes about Rs 54 crore to nearly 120 aarthiyas for dues accumulated over the last two years.
On the other hand, Sham Sunder Goel, who along with his brother is stated to be a proprietor of TR Agro, has denied the allegations. He said the claims are disputed and the matter is already before the court.
We Exhausted All Options: Association
Krishan Kumar Goel, former president of the Aarthia Association Kotkapura, said the firm had been repeatedly asked to clear the dues but kept them waiting on one pretext or another.
“We have now been forced to sit on an indefinite dharna outside the firm’s shop in the grain market. We still want an amicable solution. The firm should sit with the committee formed by the association and find an acceptable way out,” he said.
Association president Umesh Kumar Garg alleged that the total dues pertaining to the Kotkapura grain market were to be cleared by March 31, 2025.
“We had also taken up the matter with the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly and the firm had assured us that payments would be cleared by March. Later, the firm offered to pay 40% of the dues against our demand of 70% in installments over 5 years, which we rejected,” Garg claimed.
He added that if the firm does not commit to a clear payment schedule, the protest will be expanded and intensified across other mandis in the region.
Dispute Linked to Basmati Procurement
According to the association, the dispute primarily relates to the procurement of Basmati, an aromatic variety of rice, during the last two procurement seasons.
“We sold farmers’ produce to the firm in good faith and paid the farmers from our own pockets. I personally have over Rs 20 lakh pending with the firm,” said a former office-bearer who did not wish to be named.
Association leaders further alleged that the firm had tried to settle some payments by offering huge cuts, which they refused to accept.
Ashok Kumar Goel, another former president, said the issue has also impacted the long-standing trust-based relationship between farmers, aarthiyas and buyers.
“Commission agents play a key role in the trade of moong, basmati, cotton and maize, which are largely purchased privately in the region. Farmers trust us and we trust the buyers. This dispute is a setback to that system,” he said.
Firm’s Response: Being Targeted, Matter in Court
Sham Sunder Goel of TR Agro refuted all allegations leveled by the association.
“For the last 4-5 years some people have been targeting me. I am being harassed physically and mentally. The language used by protesters is not acceptable. Posters were also distributed to defame me,” he said.
Goel claimed he had sought protection from the court and had filed an application in this regard.
“About the Rs 54 crore figure, there are disputes and the matter is sub-judice. We cannot comment further on it. We have followed the course of law and will continue to do so,” he said.
He also questioned the need for the protest, saying that coercing agents to join the dharna was not the right approach.
Protest to Continue, Legal Route Open
The association maintained that the dharna will continue until the firm comes forward with a concrete proposal.
“All legal options to recover the amount remain open. We are still ready to accept any initiative extended by the firm for an out-of-court settlement,” Krishan Goel said.
Traders in the mandi said that if the standoff continues, it could affect private procurement in the upcoming season. Many farmers depend on commission agents for advance payments and timely sale of produce, making the resolution of this dispute critical for the local economy.
Both parties have made competing claims. The alleged dues and terms of settlement could not be independently verified by this correspondent. One of the parties has stated that the matter is before a court of law.
