Punjab: Private traders in Sangrur dominate wheat procurement this season
Private traders in Sangrur have outpaced government agencies in wheat procurement and lifting, already surpassing last year’s total mid-season with zero stock left in mandis. In contrast, government agencies lag with nearly 240,000 MT of unlifted wheat. Farmers express frustration over slow lifting and crop exposure, while officials emphasize their goal of clearing mandis and ensuring smooth procurement.
Private traders in Sangrur district have shown remarkable progress in wheat procurement and lifting this season, surpassing their total procurement figures for the entire previous year. As per the latest data, private players have already procured and lifted 144,794 MT of wheat midway through the procurement season, a figure that exceeds their total procurement of 188,967 MT for the entire 2024 season. Notably, all of the 144,794 MT has already been lifted, leaving zero unlifted stock in the market.
In stark contrast, government agencies are significantly lagging behind in both procurement and lifting. Out of the 559,898 MT of wheat that has arrived in the district so far, government agencies have procured 374,750 MT but have only lifted 135,172 MT, leaving a considerable 239,578 MT unlifted.
This discrepancy has raised concerns, as the lifting process by government agencies remains slow despite the large volume of wheat procured.
As per data collected till April 21 last year, private traders procured and lifted a total of 50,215 MT, all of which had been lifted by that date. In comparison, government agencies had procured 798,759 MT of wheat, with 753,181 MT lifted, leaving 45,578 MT still unlifted in the last season.
Kulwinder Singh Nadampur, a farmer, said, “The lifting process by the government is incredibly slow and inefficient. It’s disheartening to see the procured wheat lying in the open without proper protection, vulnerable to damage. The concerned officials seem more inclined towards discussions rather than taking concrete action.”
Rajesh Bansal, food and civil supplies inspector for Sangrur, said, “This time, private traders have already procured their required quota by the middle of the season. Flour mills have been encouraged to purchase more, given the profit they made last year.”
In response to the situation, Gurpreet Singh, the district food and supply controller, said that the primary goal is to ensure that mandis remain clear and all farmers’ crops are procured. “As far as I know, there isn’t much difference between the private companies and government agencies in terms of procurement,” he added.
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Source : Hindustan Times
