Tardy wheat lifting: Farmers, arthiyas rue shortage of space

Tribune News Service

Manmeet Singh Gill

Amritsar, April 20

The failure of the government procurement agencies and District Food and Civil Supplies Department to lift the procured crop from the grain markets in the border districts has caused shortage of space for unloading of more produce arriving from farms.

With a total government procurement of 2,65,999 metric tonne (MT) of wheat crop in grain markets of Amritsar district, only around 31,000 MT has been lifted so far. In Tarn Taran district, with a total government purchase of 4,49,019 MT, only around 34,000 MT has been lifted from the markets.

The arthiyas and farmers in both districts are facing a space crunch as the purchased grains filled in gunny bags are occupying a maximum of the land space in the grain markets. An arthiya from Tarn Taran said: “The government claims that the grains will be lifted from the market within 72 hours, but most of the bags are lying for over a week now.” He said the shortage of space at the grain markets would become more prominent in the coming days.

In Amritsar district with a total arrival of 2,91,779-MT wheat, 2,65,999 MT has been procured by government agencies, while 12,172 MT has been purchased by private buyers. Pungrain with a purchase of 73,529 MT has lifted only 6,267 MT. FCI with procurement of 36,082 MT has lifted only 3,361 MT. Of the 66,438 MT purchased by Markfed, only 6,238 MT has been lifted. Of Punsup purchase of 55,305 MT, only 2,433 has been lifted, while of Punjab warehouse corporation’s purchase of 34,645 MT, only 2,523 MT has been lifted.

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