Smooth procurement of wheat underway in Ludhiana as 85-percent of grains procured: DC Varinder Kumar Sharma

Ludhiana: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma on Thursday said that the smooth procurement of wheat was underway in Ludhiana as 85-percent of wheat arrived in grain markets had already been procured so far in the district.
Reviewing the wheat procurement operations, Deputy Commissioner said that due to ongoing situation due to Covid-19 pandemic, staggered procurement of grain was going on. He said that in consonance of the firm commitment of the state government to facilitate the farmers despite prevailing conditions of Covid-19 pandemic, the district administration was duty-bound to ensure that farmers get their produce procured and they don’t have wait for a day to sell the golden grains. He said that any sort of inordinate delay on the part of officials was totally undesirable and any such case of undue delay in the entire procurement operations would be dealt very strictly. 

He said till April 14, during the ongoing Rabi season, the district administration had procured 53956 metric ton of the wheat in the various grain markets/ mandis out of 63757 wheat metric ton arrived in Ludhiana. 

He said the some quantity of the crop had excess moisture than permissible limit and would be procured once golden grains get dried properly. 

He told that the officers to make sure that every single grain of wheat was procured and lifted without any sort of delay and at the same time, the social distancing must be maintained in the grain markets to prevent Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that the officers must ensure the facilities of hand washing, soaps, masks  to all the farmers, labourers and others keeping in view of the prevailing circumstances.

DC also appealed the farmers to bring only dry wheat in the grain markets for instant and timely procurement.