In a first, Punjab’s mandis to store wheat produce post-procurement
State food & civil supplies dept takes decision after stalemate with FCI over storage rates
CHANDIGARH: In the wake of a stalemate with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) over finalisation of storage rates for covered area plinths (storing in the open), the Punjab food and civil supplies department has decided to store wheat produce in the state’s grain markets (mandis) and seasonal procurement centres in the upcoming rabi season.
It is for the first time ever since the system of assured procurement began that wheat would be stored in mandis in Punjab.
The department officials said the proposal to store wheat on the premises of rice mills could not materialise because they already have an excess paddy stock.
“We are meeting officials of our department posted across districts, procurement agencies and the state mandi board to thrash out logistics part for procurement that begins from April 1. We have adequate storage arrangements in the mandis itself. Also, separate space will be earmarked for the purpose. A large number of mandis and seasonal procurement centres have large covered space where the grain could be safely stored, protecting it from the vagaries of weather,” said a senior food and civil supplies department official.
Currently, covered godowns have 155 lakh tonnes of storage of which the state agencies stock up 10% more than the capacity. Cover area plinths capacity in the state is 100 lakh tonnes while silos have a space for storing 5.75 lakh tonne grain.
Of a total of 260 lakh tonne available storage space, 180 lakh tonne grain is already stored and 135 lakh more is expected in the rabi season. At least 50 lakh tonne paddy waiting shelling will be stored in covered godowns.
The grain movement out of the godowns has come to an all-time low of 8-10 lakh tonne, which last year was 10-18 lakh tonne.
There are 1,832 mandis and seasonal procurement centres in the state and a majority of them have storage sheds.
“We will pay storage charges to the mandi board for the wheat we would keep on the premises of the grain markets. Since the proposed covered area plinth storage space can’t be made operational at the start of procurement even if the rates are finalised, the department decided to make alternate arrangements,” an official said.
Three months ago, the state
department was given a go-ahead by the FCI to build covered area plinth (CAP) storage of 33.5 lakh capacity owing to storage crunch and technical and financial aspects of the bids were examined.
A committee comprising of the state food and civil supplies department and FCI that met last week to finalise storage rates ended meeting in a stalemate as the latter refused to accept the rates quoted in the bids.
“Rates for one quintal as quoted in the bids varied from ₹1.57 to ₹3.38 per month, to which FCI refused to give its nod. We are
working on a way out,” said state principal secretary (food and civil supplies) KAP Sinha, who is chairman of the joint committee to finalise the CAP storage rates.
“The state is passing through a crisis-like situation, because practically all our godowns are full with wheat and rice of last three rabi and kharif seasons. Last week, the Centre agreed to move out 12 lakh tone grain out of the state, and we have got requisition of sending 1 lakh tonne from the state so far,” added Sinha.
FCI’s regional head Arshdeep Thind was not available for comments.