FCI procures 1.5 per cent of total paddy procurement in Punjab

Chandigarh, Oct 22 (UNI) The Central Government agency FCI has so far procured only 1.5 per cent of the total 73,77,980 tonnes of paddy procured in Punjab till yesterday.

FCI has procured only 1,00,492 tonnes of paddy while the five state agencies---Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and Punjab Agro---have procured 66,63,532 tonnes and the millers have procured 6,13,956 tonnes of paddy by Tuesday.

The mandis of Ferozepur division maintained their lead by recording 32,38,753 tonnes of paddy with maximum of 10,88,037 tonnes of paddy being recorded by Ferozepur district.

The mandis in Amritsar Division recorded 19,87,497 tonnes of paddy with Jalandhar recording maximum paddy by Tuesday to the tune of 5,13,688 tonnes.

Meanwhile procurement in the mandis of Patiala division recorded 21,51,730 procurement of paddy with Patiala district recording maximum paddy to the tune of 6,64,611 tonnes.

The six government agencies have paid over Rs 4595.59 crores for paddy procured by agencies during first 21 days of current Kharif Marketing Season.

A credit cash limit of Rs 12623.62 crore sanctioned by the Reserve Bank of India for the procurement of paddy for the ensuing kharif season by all the state agencies had been received by the state Finance Department.

UNI PS JS1425