Punjab procures 23.7k tonne paddy on 1st day

THE CENTRE HAS ALLOWED 17% MOISTURE IN

THE FRESHLY HARVESTED CROP

CHANDIGARH: Around 23,700 tonne paddy was procured in Punjab on Sunday after the Centre issued the order amid stern protests from the farmers, while the state witnessed the arrival of 53,500 tonnes of freshly harvested grain, taking the total quantity in the current Kharif season to 76,000 tonnes so far. Paddy arrival started on September 20, while formal procurement opened Sunday.

Districts Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Tarn Taran witnessed the arrivals. The Centre has allowed 17% moisture in the freshly harvested crop and officials in the state food and civil supplies department said that moisture in the crop reaching the grain markets was well within permissible purchase norms.

“We have made all arrangements (for procurement), and the staff of the food department and four (procurement) agencies has reached the mandis to facilitate procurement,” said a senior officer of the Punjab food and civil supplies department. He said that there was adequate availability of gunny bags.

The Punjab government has set up 3,000 mandis for buying the crop and according to estimates of the state agriculture department, 19 million tonnes of paddy is expected to reach the grain markets in the state for procurement.

The Centre is offering a minimum support price of ₹1,960 a quintal for A-grade paddy and a cash credit limit of ₹35,700 crores was released by the Reserve Bank of India. The state’s four agencies, namely Pungrain, Markfed, warehousing corporation and Punsup, besides the Centre’s Food Corporation of India, will buy the paddy.

To check mixing or recycling of paddy and rice brought from outside states at a cheaper rate into the freshly procured paddy, the food and civil supplies minister of Punjab, Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Sunday asked the deputy commissioners to constitute flying squads at the market committee level to keep a surveillance on the illegal practice.

An official spokesperson said that the flying squad would comprise a representative of DC, mandi board, excise and taxation (GST Wing) and the police department. The spokesperson said that the daily report would be submitted to the concerned DCS by the committees regarding checking of unauthorised paddy and rice, impounding of trucks, sealing of godowns and seizures of the paddy and rice brought from the outside states.