Punjab crosses 100 LMT mark of wheat procurement: Ashu

Chandigarh: Punjab has successfully crossed 100 LMT mark in wheat procurement despite several challenges especially the ongoing second wave of amid COVID pandemic.
Disclosing this here today, the Food & Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that nearly 77 percent of total procurement operations had already been accomplished within 19 days after commencement of wheat procurement from April 10. He said that out of the total estimated arrival of 130 LMT of wheat, the state Mandis recorded the arrival of 101.86 LMT so far, of which 100.17 LMT had been procured during the ongoing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS).
Pertinently, nearly 164 percent more wheat arrived in mandis this year as compared to corresponding period of last year, with 62.44 LMT of wheat had arrived till date in the previous Rabi Marketing Season.
Mr. Ashu further stated that 10.12 LMT of wheat has alone arrived in the mandis of Sangrur district, of which 10.04 LMT had been procured till April 28. He said that after Sangrur, Ludhiana and Patiala are amongst the districts with maximum arrival of wheat in the state i.e. 8.25 LMT and 8.16 LMT respectively. He also stated that 16.48 lakh passes have been issued so far to the farmers through arthiyas to ensure staggered movement of wheat in mandis.
He also pointed out that the payment worth Rs. 15500 crore has also been paid to 603602 lac farmers under the newly implemented DBT system.
Notably, the wheat was sown over 35.1 Lac hectares in the state and the target for wheat production, as per estimates, was 177 LMT out of which 130 LMT would reach the grain markets during the ongoing procurement season.