Govt agencies procure 4.3L-tonne wheat in first 10 days

CHANDIGARH: The state procurement agencies have purchased 4.3 lakh tonnes of wheat in the first 10 days of the current rabi marketing season in Punjab, highest in at least the past five years.

The marketing season began on April 1, and the state agencies, including Markfed, Pungrain, Punsup and warehousing corporation, besides the Centre’s Food Corporation of India are engaged in procurement.

“The total purchase of wheat by the government agencies, as on April 10, has broken records for wheat purchase till the corresponding date in the past five years,” said a state government spokesperson on Monday. In 2018, 38,109 tonnes of wheat was procured in the same period, a figure finally surpassed this year.

As the wheat arrivals surge in most parts of the state, the procurement agencies have also stepped up their efforts to ensure that mandi operations are executed with greater efficiency, added the spokesperson. At least 1,862 mandis and grain purchase centres across the state are receiving freshly harvested wheat from the farmers.

The grain is being purchased at a minimum support price of Rs 2,015 per quintal, which has been fixed by the commission for agricultural costs and prices.

The Reserve Bank of India has sanctioned a cash credit limit (CCL) of Rs 29,540 crore for wheat purchase, and so far a sum of Rs 138 crore has already been disbursed to the farmers.

“In the past five years, it was in 2017 when the highest crop payment of Rs 6.5 crore was made to the farmers by April 10,” said the spokesperson.