Punjab Faces Wheat Procurement Glut as Arrivals Surge
Sudden influx of wheat triggers glut in Punjab’s mandis
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
Punjab is experiencing a significant glut in wheat procurement due to a surge in arrivals following the Central government's relaxation of norms for damaged grains. Over 71.5 lakh tonnes of wheat have flooded mandis, but only 15 lakh tonnes have been lifted, leaving farmers struggling with excess produce.
- 01Punjab's mandis are overwhelmed with a sudden influx of wheat, with 71.5 lakh tonnes arriving recently.
- 02Only 15 lakh tonnes of wheat have been lifted, leading to produce piling up in open areas.
- 03The surge in arrivals followed the Central government's relaxation of procurement norms for rain-damaged grains.
- 04Farmers are facing challenges as they are forced to unload wheat on roads due to slow processing.
- 05State agencies are working to expedite the lifting of wheat to manage the situation.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Punjab is grappling with a wheat procurement crisis as a sudden influx of freshly harvested wheat has overwhelmed local mandis. Over the past five days, more than 71.5 lakh tonnes of wheat have arrived, but state agencies have only managed to lift 15 lakh tonnes—approximately 21% of the total. The situation escalated after the Central government relaxed procurement norms for rain- and hail-damaged grains on April 17, leading to a daily arrival of over 10 lakh tonnes. Farmers are struggling as their produce spills onto roads, waiting for processing and weighing. From Ferozepur to Fatehgarh Sahib, farmers have expressed concerns over the slow lifting process. To alleviate the backlog, 50 goods trains have transported around 1.5 lakh tonnes outside the state, while the remaining wheat is being moved to storage facilities. Punjab's Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Lal Chand Kataruchak, has assured that the situation will be resolved soon as he monitors the procurement operations. The south Malwa districts have seen significant arrivals, accounting for 32% of the total wheat brought to mandis, with Ferozepur district reporting the highest arrivals at 4.84 lakh tonnes.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The procurement crisis is causing financial strain on farmers who are unable to sell their wheat promptly, leading to potential losses.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
How should the government address the wheat glut in Punjab's mandis?
Connecting to poll...
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.


