Paddy procurement in Kapurthala reaches 5 lakh MT; Rs 1,096 crore paid to farmers

Paddy procurement in Kapurthala district is nearing the 5 lakh metric tonne mark, with a total of 4,93,367 metric tonnes of paddy arriving at grain markets, as reported by Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal.

As of late Thursday, 4,84,976.80 metric tonnes of paddy have already been procured. The Deputy Commissioner provided a breakdown of procurement by agencies, with PUNGRAIN leading the way at 1,77,598 metric tonnes, followed by MARKFED at 1,46,830.75 metric tonnes, PUNSUP at 1,15,074.64 metric tonnes, the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation at 45,133.91 metric tonnes, and private traders with 339.50 metric tonnes.

Panchal also shared that lifting operations are proceeding smoothly, with 4,21,579.11 metric tonnes of paddy lifted so far, surpassing the target of 4,02,745 metric tonnes within the stipulated 72-hour timeframe, achieving 104.68 per cent of the target.

Regarding payments, Panchal assured that timely transfers are being made to farmers. As of now, Rs 1,096.4 crore has been directly deposited into farmers’ bank accounts.

The Deputy Commissioner urged farmers to bring properly dried paddy to the mandis and to avoid harvesting in the evening hours. He also recommended the use of machines equipped with SMS technology for better moisture control and improved efficiency.