Amid wheat glut, Food Corporation of India begins lifting

Chandigarh, April 29

Even as the Centre is yet to give its consent for relaxation of specifications for wheat procurement, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has decided to start lifting its stocks of wheat from the mandis and take the produce to its transit storages.

This comes as a big relief for the Punjab Government, as there is a glut in grain markets because of tardy lifting by the FCI. This had farmers and commission agents worried. The orders by the regional office of the FCI were received late last evening.

To date, there are 28.51 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of wheat in the mandis. The unlifted wheat purchased by the FCI is 1.5 LMT.

The central food agency has procured 5.85 LMT wheat to date. Wheat arrivals have begun to slow down, indicating that the procurement is nearing its end. On Friday, 1.06 LMT of wheat arrived.