Thaindian News

Chandigarh June 2 (IANS) Punjab has achieved a new benchmark in wheat procurement as various government agencies and private traders have together procured over 110.50 lakh tonnes wheat this year, an official said here Thursday.

Last year’s wheat procurement in Punjab was around 110 lakh tonnes. Besides, Rs. 12,178.91 crore payment has been made to Punjab farmers this year, he said.

“Total of 110,50,312 tonnes of wheat has been procured in Punjab this year. This procurement has been done by five government agencies of Punjab, the central government’s Food Corporation of India (FCI) and private traders,” said an official spokesman of the state’s food and supplies department.

He added, “Farmers were given payment of their produce within 48 hours after lifting wheat. Total payment of Rs.12,178.91 crore has been made to the state farmers so far.”

Of this procurement, government agencies have collected 110,26,230 tonnes of wheat (99.7 per cent) whereas private traders have procured 33,982 tonnes (0.3 per cent).

The spokesman said that Ferozepur district with 13.69 lakh tonnes was leading in procurement operations whereas Sangrur district (10.28 lakh tonnes) and Ludhiana district (8.61 lakh tonnes) were at second and third positions respectively.

The state government had set up 1,734 centres in the state for wheat procurement.

The neighbouring Haryana has so far recorded wheat procurement of over 68.71 lakh tonnes as compared to 63.61 lakh tonnes during last year.

“The wheat arrival in the state is still on and is likely to cross the mark of 69.24 lakh tonnes, the highest wheat arrival recorded in the year 2009,” said an official spokesperson of Haryana government here Thursday.