10 panels to figure out record arrival of paddy in Amritsar district mandis

Manmeet Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 7

Perplexed with record arrival of paddy in the district, the Deputy Commissioner has constituted 10 committees comprising officials from different departments to investigate the reason behind increase in crop arrival in the grain markets.

The arrival of paddy this season has already crossed 4.74 lakh metric tonne (MT). In comparison, the district had recorded a procurement of 4.56 lakh MT during 2020-21. The crop arrival has been even higher than the procurement in 2019-20.

Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira said officials from revenue, food supply, agriculture, mandi board, market committee and procurement agencies have been appointed in these committees. Each committee would investigate the increased crop arrival in the grain markets of Rajasansi, Harsha Chinna, Sudhar, Ajnala, Chamiari, Bacchiwind, Tahli Sahib, Chak Sikandar, Gagomahal and Bhagatawal.

The investigators would talk to farmers to know if there’s increase in the crop yield. They would also try to understand if the area under paddy cultivation had increased, he said.

“If the increase in arrival is not due to rise in area under paddy or crop yield, the administration will be able to zero in on other reasons (sale of paddy in mandis procured from outside Punjab),” said an official.

During the paddy procurement season last year, farmers had caught trucks which were smuggling paddy from Uttar Pradesh (UP).

Paddy procured at low prices from UP and other states (which do not offer MSP) was reportedly sold in the grain markets in the state.