Wheat procurement begins in Jalandhar, but no arrivals on opening day

The wheat procurement season officially began on April 1 in Jalandhar, but no arrivals were recorded in the mandis on the opening day. Officials, commission agents (arhtiyas) and farmers indicated that the inflow of the new crop is likely to start only after 10–12 days.

Mandi department officials attributed the delay primarily to weather conditions affecting crop maturity. “The actual flow of wheat is expected after April 12. Recent weather changes have also impacted the arrivals,” an official said.

Local arhtiyas confirmed the absence of produce. Harjit Singh Kalra, Chairman of the Arhtiya Association, said that not a single farmer brought wheat to the mandi on the first day of procurement.

Amarjit Singh, a farmer from Chahrke village, explained that early March heat had prompted farmers to irrigate their fields, but subsequent rainfall caused damage. “The rains flattened the crop in some areas here. My field was also affected,” he said.

Vaneet Kumar, a farmer from Nakodar, said the wheat crop had not yet matured due to prevailing weather conditions. “In our block, it may take another 12–15 days before the crop is ready for harvest,” he added.

Echoing similar concerns, Kulwinder Singh, a farmer from Lohian, noted that harvesting and arrivals would take another 10–12 days to begin.