No procurement in Faridkot, FCI relaxes land record norm

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, April 14

With the Food Corporation of India (FCI) failing to procure even a single grain of wheat in the last five days in Faridkot, the central agency on Wednesday decided to relax its demand for the land records of farmers for the purchase.

Of the total 37,045 metric tonnnes (MT) of wheat procured in Faridkot district till Tuesday, the FCI’s share was nil. The maximum procurement has been made by Pungrain (16,590 MT), followed by Markfed (8,437 MT), Punsup (6,683 MT) and PSWP (5,335 MT).

FCI Divisional Manager Vaneet Parkash said as the agency was always strict on its procurement parameters, including moisture specifications, the commission agents were reluctant to offer the wheat for procurement to it.

Moreover, the FCI was also demanding the ID of farmers and their registration on portal before making purchase, so both farmers and commission agents were hesitant in selling their crop to the agency, said sources.

Parkash said with the relaxation in the condition of land records of the farmers, the FCI was hopeful of making purchase from Thursday.

The FCI has set a target of procuring 1.6 LMT in Faridkot and Muktsar districts. It has opened 44 purchasing centres in these two districts. In the last rabi season, the FCI had 11 per cent share in the total procurement in the state. In all, 127.67 LMT of wheat was procured last year.