Govt agencies procure 22.28 metric tonnes of wheat

Chandigarh, May 15 (UNI) The six government wheat procuring agencies have procured 22.28 lakh metric tonnes of wheat out of an estimated 29.60 lakh metric tonnes, which has arrived in the mandis of Haryana so far, State Deputy Chief Minister Chander Mohan said today.

He said while HAFED had bought 8.40 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, the Food and Supplies department had procured 4.94 lakh metric tonnes.

About 2.68 lakh metric tonnes was procured by the Food Corporation of India, 2.38 lakh metric tonnes by Haryana Agro Industries Corporation, Haryana Warehousing Corporation bought 2.17 lakh metric tonnes and CONFED procured 1.68 lakh metric tonnes, he added.

Mr Chander Mohan, who also holds the Food portfolio, said Kaithal district has procured 4.78 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, followed by Karnal 4.65 lakh metric tonnes, Fatehabad 3.74 lakh metric tonnes, Kurukshetra 3.47 lakh metric tonnes, Jind 3.60 lakh metric tonnes, Sirsa 3.55 lakh metric tonnes, Panipat 1.40 lakh metric tonnes and Ambala 1.14 lakh metric tonnes.

Saying that payment to the farmers was being made within 48 to 72 hours of the procurement, he said, 354 mandis had been set up in the state for smooth procurement of the wheat.

He said the government was providing Rs 50 per quintal as bonus to the farmers besides the price of Rs 650 per quintal.

UNI HS CS HS1524