Over 23,000 tonne purchased on Day 1
CHANDIGARH : The opening day of paddy procurement in Punjab on Sunday saw arrival of 53,500 tonne of grain, taking crop arrival this kharif season to 76,000 tonne. At least 23,700 tonne was procured on Day 1. Paddy arrival started from September 20, with formal procurement starting from Sunday. Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi launched paddy procurement operations for the state from the Morinda Grain Market on Sunday.
Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Tarn Taran districts have seen crop arrival. The Centre has allowed 17% moisture in the freshly harvested crop. Punjab food and civil supplies department officials said that the moisture in the crop reaching grain markets was well within permissible norms.
“We have made arrangements (for procurement), and the staff of the food department and four procurement agencies have reached mandis,” said a senior officer of the Punjab food and civil supplies department, adding that adequate availability of gunny bags had also been ensured.
The Punjab government has set up 3,000 mandis for buying the crop. The state agriculture department estimates that 190 lakh tonne of paddy is expected to reach grain markets for procurement.
The Centre is offering the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹1,960 a quintal for A-grade paddy; the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of ₹35,700 crore. The state’s four agencies, namely the Pungrain, the Markfed, the Warehousing Corporation and Punsup, besides the Centre’s Food Corporation of India (FCI), will buy the paddy.
Hitch before procurement season
The procurement process had to be postponed for 10 days on
Farmers remain upbeat even as paddy procurement was delayed by two days due to an extended rainy season that had raised concern
September 30 this year, a day before it usually starts on October 1. This decision of postponement was based on an FCI report, which stated that due to delayed spell of rain this time, there was high moisture content in the crop, and it might take a week to 10 days to be ready.
However, after pressure by farmers, the state government and the opposition parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, the Union agriculture ministry reviewed its decision. “In the interest of farmers, it has been decided to start procurement of paddy from October 3,” a communication, released on Saturday evening, from the Centre’s
ministry of food and public distribution said.
Chief minister Channi had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, seeking the start of procurement as paddy has started arriving in mandis and any delay could lead to harassment of farmers.
Flying squads formed to check illegal sale
To stop the illegal practice of mixing or recycling of paddy and rice brought from nearby states at a cheaper rates into freshly procured paddy, Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has asked deputy commissioners to constitute flying squads at the market committee level.
A spokesperson said the flying squad will comprise a representative each of the DC, the mandi board, the excise and taxation (the GST wing) and the police department. The spokesperson added that committees will submit a daily report to the deputy commissioners on the checking of unauthorised paddy and rice, impounding of trucks, sealing of godowns and seizures of paddy and rice brought from the outside states.
78 purchase centres set up in Jalandhar
In Jalandhar district, 78 purchase centres were set up with 3,610 tonne paddy arriving for procurement. Deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said officials had been asked to ensure timely procurement, lifting and procurement. In Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, more than 1,500 tonne of paddy arrived, with Kapurthala at 3,200 tonne; of this, government agencies purchased 70% (2,226 tonne).
(Inputs from Jalandhar and Patiala)