Punjab targeting 140 lakh tonnes paddy procurement

Chandigarh, Nov 3 : Punjab is targeting to procure more than 140 lakh tonnes of paddy this season, the Chief Minister's office here said Tuesday.

Government procurement agencies and private millers have procured 114 lakh tonnes till Monday evening, the office of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said.

According to food and supplies department officials, the procurement so far was satisfactory given the late arrival of paddy in the grain markets. Officially, the procurement started Oct 1 this season.

Last year, considered a good crop year, about 118 lakh tonnes of paddy had been procured in the corresponding period.

The officials said farmers have been paid over Rs.10,750 crore for the paddy purchased so far.

The state government and procurement agencies are upbeat about paddy output despite earlier concerns that the yield could fall owing to deficient rainfall and drought-like conditions this year.

Over 98 percent of the paddy arriving in over 1,600 grain markets across Punjab has been bought by government agencies - five from the Punjab government and the centre's Food Corp of India (FCI).

Patiala led among the 20 Punjab districts with over 12 lakh tonnes of procurement, which is expected to continue till next month in the state.