Sudden influx of wheat triggers glut in Punjab’s mandis
Punjab faces mandi congestion as wheat arrivals surge after relaxed procurement norms. Over 71.5 lakh tonnes arrived in five days, but only ~21% lifted, leaving farmers stranded. Slow logistics and storage constraints are delaying clearance, despite efforts to speed up movement and procurement operations.
Arrivals surge following Centre’s relaxation on norms to procure grains damaged by recent rain, hailstorms
A sudden surge in the arrival of freshly harvested wheat has choked mandis across Punjab, with produce piling up faster than it can be lifted.
The glut situation has left farmers stranded, with produce spilling onto roads in several areas.
Over the last five days alone, more than 71.5 lakh tonnes of wheat has arrived in mandis, but state agencies have managed to lift just 15 lakh tonnes — around 21% of the stock — while the rest remains piled in the open.
Procurement began on April 1 when the state food and civil supplies department opened all 1,872 mandis across the state. But unseasonal rain and hailstorm delayed arrivals, which picked up gradually from April 9.
Arrivals surged sharply on April 18, a day after the Centre relaxed norms for procuring rain- and hail-damaged grain, with over 10 lakh tonnes of produce reaching mandis daily ever since.
With mandis overflowing, farmers have been forced to unload their produce on approach roads, waiting for processing, weighing and bagging.
From Ferozepur to Fatehgarh Sahib, heaps of wheat remain stuck due to slow lifting, said Jagmohan Singh Dakounda of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). Similar concerns were raised by farmers in Patiala, Samrala and villages near Patti, who said procurement had effectively stalled due to lack of space.
A senior official in the state food department said arrivals peaked after the Centre, on April 17, relaxed norms for procuring rain- and hail-damaged grain, with over 50 lakh tonnes arriving between April 18 and 22.
To speed up evacuation, 50 goods trains have transported about 1.5 lakh tonnes outside the state, while the rest has been moved to godowns, the officer said. However, Centre’s directions to store damaged grain separately have added to the strain on state procurement agencies – Punjgrain, Punsup, Markfed and State Warehousing Corporation.
Acknowledging the glut, Punjab food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said the situation would be resolved soon and that he was personally monitoring procurement operations in mandis.
South Malwa districts account for 32% arrivals
Arrivals have also gained momentum in the south Malwa districts, where wheat harvesting usually falls behind the other regions of Punjab.
According to the information gathered, a total of 23.48 lakh tonnes of wheat, constituting 32% of the statewide arrivals, has reached various mandis across the seven districts of the semi-arid region till April 21.
At 4.84 lakh tonnes, Ferozepur district has recorded the highest arrivals in the region, and different agencies have purchased 4.42 lakh tonnes.
Ferozepur deputy commissioner Deepshikha Sharma said 27% of the procured wheat had been lifted in the last 72 hours. She added that agencies had been asked to expedite lifting to ensure smooth produce management at mandis.
Data shows that farmers brought 3.62 lakh tonnes of wheat to different mandis in Moga and 3.12 lakh tonnes have already been purchased. Moga DC Sagar Setia said wheat arrivals had surged in the district, where farmers were bringing an average of 70,000 tonnes every day.
In Bathinda, 3.56 lakh tonnes of wheat arrived until Tuesday, and procurement agencies bought 3.11 lakh tonnes.
Similarly, 2.80 lakh tonnes have been procured from the 3.21-lakh tonnes arrivals in Mansa, of which nearly 80,000 tonnes had been lifted, according to Mansa DC Navjot Kaur.
In Muktsar, of the total 2.98 lakh tonnes of wheat that arrived, 2.57 lakh tonnes have been purchased, while only 50,000 tonnes have been lifted.
Official information from Fazilka states that out of 2.98 lakh tonnes of wheat arrived so far, 2.71 lakh tonnes have been procured. However, 2.23 lakh tonnes are still lying in the mandis.
A total of 2.79 lakh tonnes of wheat has reached different mandis in Faridkot, and 2.30 lakh tonnes were procured until April 21. Data indicates slow lifting, as only 18% has been lifted in the district.
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Source : Hindustan Times
