Paddy glut in mandis, 2.37 LMT stock arrives in Ludhiana district, 94 per cent procured

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, October 18

A ‘glut-like’ situation is prevailing in almost all 13 grain markets (mandis) of the district as the paddy procurement is in full swing here.

As the weather cleared after a two-day inclement spell, farmers heaved a sigh relief on Wednesday. It also further expedited the ongoing purchase and lifting of the stock.

However, the administration has claimed smooth paddy procurement and lifting with no hardship to the farmers in the district.

Of the total over 2.37 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy arriving across the district till this evening, more than 2.22 LMT stock has been procured, which accounts for 94 per cent of the total arrivals. Of the total procurement, over 82,000 LMT grains had already been lifted from the mandis, which account for 63 per cent of the total purchase.

It was despite the fact that the harvesting of the paddy crop had been delayed due to the spoilsport played by the recent heavy rainfall resulting in flooding of most of the area under the rice crop. Besides, the area under cultivation had also reduced from 2,58,800 hectares in 2022 to 2,56,900 hectares this season.

Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik, who is monitoring the paddy purchase in the district on a daily basis, told The Tribune, that the procurement of rice was going on in a smooth and hassle-free manner at all 13 grain markets across Ludhiana.

She said all arrangements were in place to facilitate the farmers, arriving with their paddy crop at the mandis by ensuring swift procurement, lifting and payment of their foodgrain.

While government agencies lead the charge by procuring 2,21,804 MT of paddy, which was 99.86 per cent of the total purchase so far, private agencies had bought only 306 MT of the foodgrain, which accounted for only 0.14 per cent procurement.

With 4,999 MT more paddy arriving at the district mandis on Wednesday, 2,651 MT of stock was procured during the day, leaving 15,260 MT grains unsold so far.

Besides the arrival of 2,37,370 MT of parmal rice, of which 2,22,110 MT had been purchased by the government and private agencies at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,203 and maximum of Rs 2,211 per quintal, as many as 24,491 MT of basmati rice had also been received and purchased by the private agencies at the maximum price of Rs 3,785 per quintal and minimum of Rs 2,400 per quintal till date.

With 200 MT of basmati rice arriving and the entire stock getting purchased on Wednesday, the basmati arrival and procurement this year so far was 58.17 per cent more than 15,484 MT of basmati rice that had arrived and was procured in Ludhiana during the corresponding period last year.

Divulging the procurement figures, District Mandi Officer (DMO) Bir Inder Singh Sidhu said Khanna, which was Asia’s biggest grain market, was at the top with the arrival and procurement of almost 27 per cent of the district’s total stock so far.

The mandi-wise data showed that the maximum of 63,616 MT of paddy had arrived, of which 62,135 MT had been purchased in Khanna, followed by 38,267 MT arrival and 37,317 MT procurement in Machhiwara, 31,615 MT arrival and 29,716 MT purchase in Samrala, 23,682 MT arrival and 22,337 MT procurement in Mullanpur Dakha, 18,866 MT arrival and 15,330 MT purchase in Jagraon, 10,500 MT arrival and 10,082 MT procurement in Doraha, 8,966 MT arrival and 8,848 MT purchase in Ludhiana city, 7,794 MT arrival and 5,830 MT purchase in Kila Raipur, 7,484 MT arrival and 6,561 MT procurement in Raikot, 7,332 MT arrival and 6,969 MT purchase in Hathur, 7,323 MT arrival and 6,601 MT procurement in Sahnewal, 6,936 MT arrival and 5,830 MT purchase in Sidhwan Bet, and Maloud grain market had received the minimum of 4,989 MT paddy of which 4,554 MT was procured till Wednesday.

The DMO revealed that of the total procured 2,22,110 MT of paddy, 82,413 MT, which accounted for 63 per cent of the total purchase, had been lifted from the grain markets while the remaining purchased foodgrain was in the process of being lifted.

Divulging the extent of damage caused by the recent floods and relief extended to the farmers, the Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Dr Narinder Benipal, said the paddy crop was planted over 2,56,900 hectares of area in Ludhiana district during the current Kharif season, of which almost 6,475 hectares had suffered damage due to recent floods and incessant rains,” he said.

Dr Benipal said the timely intervention and help extended by the Agriculture Department had ensured recovery of partially damaged paddy plantation over 4,725 hectares while free saplings/ seeds were provided to flood-hit farmers to replant paddy crop over 1,750 hectares.

No pvt purchase in 11 mandis

Eleven of the total 13 mandis in the district have not yet witnesses any private paddy purchase even 18 days after the official start of the procurement season. Except 302 MT in Khanna and 4 MT at Machhiwara, the private agencies (arhtiyas) had not yet procured a single grain in any of the rest 11 grain markets.

Every grain to be procured: DC

“By ensuring smooth and hassle-free procurement, lifting and payment to farmers within the stipulated time frame, we are committed to purchasing every single grain of paddy arriving at mandis. The entire district administration is on the job to facilitate the peasants during the ongoing procurement process,” says Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commisioner.

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