Thaindian News

Chandigarh, Oct 11 (IANS) Heading for a bumper crop despite heavy rains and floods last month, Punjab and Haryana have crossed the 2.65 million (26.5 lakh) tonnes mark in paddy procurement in the first 10 days of procurement this season.

Food and supplies officials in Punjab said that nearly 2.2 million tonnes of paddy had been procured in the state by government agencies and private rice millers.

Government agencies have procured 96.7 per cent of the paddy arriving so far in nearly 1,700 procurement centres across Punjab.

The procurement this season is much higher than the procurement of 1.67 million tonnes made in the same period last year, the officials said.

The border district of Ferozepur, with 390,217 tonnes, was leading in procurement operations followed by district Tarn Taran (253,442 tonnes) and district Jalandhar (232,779 tonnes).

Following complaints from various places from farmers that their stocks are not being lifted by concerned agencies, D.S. Guru, principal Secretary to Punjab chief minister, Monday started visiting grain markets in the state to ensure smooth procurement and lifting of paddy.

In Haryana, out of the total arrival of 457,000 tonnes of paddy arrival, over 372,000 tonnes had been procured by government agencies.

Kurukshetra district was leading in paddy arrival with over 129,000 tonnes followed by Karnal (over 127,000 tonnes) and Kaithal (over 75,700 tonnes).