Procurement starts, Punjab set to procure 124 LMT wheat
Agricultural experts have predicted a bumper wheat crop in Punjab, with the total production expected to touch 190 lakh tonnes. The procurement will begin on April 1, and arrangements in 1,864 mandis and procurement centres have been completed.
According to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice-chancellor SS Gosal, the entire season for the crop was ideal as winters were mild and there was no natural calamity such as rain or hailstorm, and at the maturing stage, the temperatures were ideal, below 35 degrees Celsius.
“The reports coming from different parts of the state suggest that the crop has grown in perfect conditions,” he added.
According to the sources in the state agriculture department, the production is expected to cross beyond 60 quintals per hectare. The crop was cultivated over 34 lakh hectares (85 lakh acres). The agriculture department is in the process of conducting crop-cutting experiments to ascertain actual yield output, the results of which are expected to be encouraging.
₹28,894 crore CCL received
The state food and civil supplies department has arranged a cash credit limit (CCL) of ₹28,894 for the purchase of the crop at the minimum support price of ₹2,524 per quintal.
Experts said the crop has not matured completely in many parts of the state so it might take at least a week to 10 days for the arrivals to pick up pace.
“We are expecting wheat arrivals at Rajpura and Fatehgarh Sahib mandis,” said food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, adding that adequate gunny bales have also been arranged.
According to the minister, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has set a target of procuring 124 lakh tonnes from the state.
The minister added that there is adequate storage space of at least 135 lakh tonnes, including covered godowns and covered area plinths. “Unlike paddy, wheat storage will not be a problem. At least 15 lakh tonnes will picked up from mandis to be transported to consumer states for public distribution system (PDS) under the National Food Security Act.
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Source : Hindustan Times
