Ludhiana district tops in paddy procurement

Chandigarh, Nov 11 (UNI) Ludhiana district has topped in paddy procurement in Punjab with 16.41 lakh tonnes exceeding the 15.80 tonnes recorded here during the last Kharif season.

District Sangrur with 15.53 lakh tonnes of procurement was at second place and district Patiala with 12.88 Lakh tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.

According to an official spokesman, out of total procurement of 1.23 crore tonnes of paddy in the state, Government agencies had procured 1.01 crore tonnes of paddy (82 per cent) so far whereas millers had lifted it 22.33 lakh tonnes (18 per cent).

Till November 10, 2007, PUNGRAIN had procured 26.01 lakh tonnes MARKFED procured 23.88 lakh tonnes, PUNSUP procured 25.72 lakh tonnes PSWC procured 13.39 lakh tonnes whereas PAIC was able to procure 11.07 tonnes of paddy.

The Central Government agency Food Corporation of India had been able to procure 1,30,781 tonnes of paddy so far in Punjab.

The state agencies had paid over Rs 7209.04 crore to the farmers for the paddy procured by till November 8 of this year, fulfilling the commitment of Punjab government of making payment to them within 72 hours of lifting paddy.

The spokesman said today that Rs 7779.85 crore payments had been allocated to all agencies to ensure timely payment to the farmers.

He said to ensure smooth procurement and timely payments to the farmers during Kharif Season 2007-08, the Punjab Government has already got a cash credit limit of Rs 9058.50 crore sanctioned from the Reserve Bank of India.

The Punjab government had also sought sanction of Rs 950 crore more from the RBI keeping in view the expected procurement this month.

The State Government had set up 1544 procurement centres and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement of paddy, the spokesman added.

UNI