M A I N   N E W S

Wheat fails to keep date with mandis in Punjab
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 1
The first day of the procurement season saw “zero” procurement in mandis across Punjab. Reports from the border district of Ferozepur, which is usually the first to receive the Rabbi crop, also reported nil procurement. Sources in the government said though the government had made all preparations, it would take at least two weeks before the wheat starts arriving.

Surprisingly, there was not even a single grain of wheat arrived in more than 1,600 procurement centres setup across 20 districts of the state. Though, due to higher temperatures in March this year, the procurement agencies were expecting wheat to start arriving on day one itself.

Sources in the Punjab Government said all preparations like cleaning of the “mandis” and establishing of men and material had been completed. Last year on the first day of the procurement, agencies received 42 quintals, which started increasing gradually. The expected joint yield from Punjab and Haryana is expected to touch 160 lakh tonnes this season.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will procure wheat for the Centre, while the state agencies involved in procurement are Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, State Warehousing Corporation and Punjab Agro Industries Corporation. Sources in the Department of Food and Supply suggested that the “Zero” arrival in the “mandis” was on account of delay in ripening of the crop.

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the government for the Rabbi crop is Rs 1,100 per quintal. Punjab has demanded a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal, while Haryana is demanding a bonus of Rs 200 per quintal on account of increase in diesel and fertiliser prices after the announcement of the MSP. Last year, wheat was procured at Rs 1,080 per quintal.

Punjab and Haryana have also cautioned the Centre that there could be a drastic fall in the yields on account of early onset of summer.