PUNJAB all set for record wheat procurement

Chandigarh, March 26, 2013: The Punjab is all set for achieving a new record in wheat procurement as the state government would begin the biggest ever procurement operations in the state from April 1.

Adaish Partap Singh Kairon, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab and Rakesh Singh, Chief Secretary, Punjab today unitedly reviewed the procurement procedures of wheat crop in Punjab, in a high level meeting with the MDs of all procurement agencies.

Giving the details of arrangements made for Rabi marketing season an official spokesman said that Punjab Government today notified 1770 mandis/purchase centers for the procurement of wheat in the state. 

The spokesman said that this year the state government has made arrangements for record procurement of 140 lakh Metric Tonnes of wheat against 129.35 lakh metric tonnes procured in the last season. The procurement agencies would purchase wheat at the MSP of Rs.1350 per quintal during the current rabi season. 

The state government has allotted Pungrain 20%, Markfed 20%, Punsup 20%, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 11%, Punjab Agro Industries 9% and FCI 20% as its share of wheat procurement.  He said that state agencies would procure 112 lac MT and FCI would procure 28 lac MT from total wheat procurement of the state. According to state agriculture department 161.59 lac MT of wheat production was expected this year. 

He said that payment would be made within 48 hours and lifting within 72 hours. The state government has made arrangements for gunny bags for the procurement operations. He said that Punjab government had make arrangements for 65 lac MT extra storage besides available storage capacity of the state.