Now Reading: Punjab paddy procurement from Oct 1 amid 280 lakh tonne backlog
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Punjab paddy procurement from Oct 1 amid 280 lakh tonne backlog
The Punjab government will open 1,832 mandis for paddy procurement on October 1, even as a backlog of 280 lakh tonnes of food grains clogs state godowns, rice mills, and mandi yards.…
The Punjab government will open 1,832 mandis for paddy procurement on October 1, even as a backlog of 280 lakh tonnes of food grains clogs state godowns, rice mills, and mandi yards. Officials say this kharif season will be more challenging than last year, when storage shortages delayed crop lifting.
The central government has set a procurement target of 180 lakh tonnes from the state this season, while the state agriculture department expects the total paddy yield to exceed 210 lakh tonnes. The minimum support price has been set at Rs 2,461 per quintal.
Food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said the RBI has sanctioned Rs 50,337.68 crore for procurement, with Rs 42,786.68 crore already credited to state accounts for October purchases. Over 5 lakh gunny bags have been arranged. The state currently holds 275 lakh tonnes of food grains against a warehouse capacity of 180 lakh tonnes.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Punjab's storage crisis has built over three seasons, with 155 lakh tonnes of rice from past years still in state godowns and 116 lakh tonnes of wheat occupying the same warehouses. The total grain stock of 275 lakh tonnes is 95 lakh tonnes above the state's capacity of 180 lakh tonnes, forcing agencies to store grain in rice mills and mandi yards that should be cleared for the new crop. The Food Corporation of India is responsible for lifting and transporting stocks to consuming states, and its pace of evacuation will determine whether this season's procurement runs smoothly. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has raised the issue with the Centre, but with the new harvest arriving in days, the next signal to watch is how quickly FCI clears the existing stockpile from Punjab's rice mills.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
