36 lakh tonnes paddy arrive

Chandigarh, Oct 9: Paddy procurement in Punjab continued to move at a fast pace with 36.71 lakh tonnes having arrived in the grain markets in the state till last evening, Food and Supplies minister Lal Singh today said.

Of the total arrivals in the mandis, Pungrain procured 6.53 lakh tonnes, Markfed 6.12 lakh tonnes, Punsup 7.67 lakh tonnes, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 3.69 lakh tonnes and Punjab Agro Iindustries Corporation 4.03 lakh tonnes.

FCI has so far procured 1.49 lakh tonnes while the millers in state have procured 7.16 lakh tonnes.

The Minister said that he was optimistic of a bumper crop even though the area under paddy had been reduced after farmers were persuaded to go in for diversification.

He said that Ferozpur was leading in procurement with 8.14 lakh tonnes being procured in the district till yesterday. Mohali district was placed at the bottom with just 11,817 tonnes being procured till date.

UNI