Patiala fifth in paddy procurement

Karam Prakash  
Tribune News Service  
Patiala, December 11  

With the paddy season coming to an end, Sangrur district has once again topped in its procurement across Punjab. Out of the total procurement of 170 lakh metric tonnes in the state, Sangrur procured the maximum 

at 18,26, 991 MT. 

Meanwhile, Patiala district is on the fifth position in the state this season. The procurement has been lesser than last year.  Despite the initial hurdles in procurement due to the moisture content, the district could procure 12.4 lakh metric tonnes of paddy by government agencies and private millers during this season. 

Sangrur was followed by Ludhiana with 16. 8 Lakh MT and Bathinda with 13.5 lakh MT of paddy procurement. 

  Out of the total procurement of 12.4 lakh MT in Patiala district, the state-run agencies procured 12.399 lakh MT of paddy while millers lifted only 2,321 MT.

 Pungrain and Markfed procured 4,19,757 MT and 2,87,079 MT, respectively; PUNSUP, PSWC and PAFC lifted 2,97,123 MT, 1,13,967 MT and 1,17,737 MT of paddy, respectively. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) procured 4,333 metric tonnes. 

 However, officials informed that the procurement was less in this season as compared to the previous year. In 2017, the district had procured 13.50 lakh MT of paddy. 

District Food Supply Officer Narinder Singh said,” There has been no arrival of paddy in the grain markets in the last three or four days. The paddy arrived in the grain markets was timely procured by officials.”