Procured wheat lying in open at mandis
KARNAL: Thousands of quintals of wheat is lying in the open in the grain markets of the region as government procurement agencies are struggling to ensure 100% lifting of the crop.
Sources in the food and supplies department said about 20% of the procured wheat is still lying in the grain markets and officials concerned are making all efforts to ensure the speedy lifting of the crop, but recent showers have affected the lifting operations.
Rain in parts of Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts has left those commission agents worried, whose wheat is lying in the open. “Though the lifting operations are better this year, the officials are still struggling to take the lifting above 80% due to bumper production of wheat,” said an official of the food and supplies department.
He said wheat arrival is still normal in several grain markets and the lifting may take more time.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Yamunanagar district food and supplies officer (DFSO) Surender Kumar said, “Over 80% wheat in the grain markets of the district has been liftedr.”
Kurukshetra DFSO Virender Kumar said, “Around 85% of the total wheat arrived in the mandis of the district has already been lifted.” However, officials say mild showers reported in the region had no major impact on the lifting, but it has increased the moisture content in the stock which may take a day or two to get dry.
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, while talking to mediapersons in Karnal on Thursday, also slammed the government for slow lifting of wheat from mandis.