Wheat procurement picks up in Punjab

Chandigarh , Apr 16 (UNI) Wheat procurement in Punjab has picked up with 12.89 lakh tonnes having been procured by purchase agencies and private traders.

Till last evening the five state government procurement agencies had so far purchased 10.45 lakh tonnes out of the total wheat procured, Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Tejinder Kaur disclosed here today.

The estimated procurement target has been fixed at 145 lakh tonnes by the state government. About 85 lakh tonnes of the total wheat procured would be given to the Central Pool.

Expressing satisfaction over the accelerated rate of procurement, Mrs Kaur said the food and civil supplies department would not tolerate any harassment of the farmers either at the hands of the officials of various procurement agencies or commission agents.

There would be no laxity in the procurement process, she added.

She said farmers would also get their due payments within 48 hours of selling their produce. She further advised the farmers not to sell their produce directly to the private buyers.

She said besides the state agencies, FCI had so far procured 1.09 lakh tonnes while private traders had purchase 1.33 lakh tonnes.

UNI