Over 8,100,000 MT paddy procured so far in Punjab during Kharif season

More than 81 lakh metric tonne of paddy has been procured so far in the ongoing Kharif marketing season in Punjab, a senior official said on Thursday.

Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Aggarwal said paddy procurement operations were being carried out seamlessly in all grain markets across the state.

So far, 84.48 lakh MT paddy has arrived in the mandis, and 81.80 lakh MT has been procured by the various procurement agencies, he said.

A payment of more than Rs 11,531 crore has been made to the farmers.

Aggarwal was in the Khanna grain market, about 45 km from here, to take stock of the procurement operations.

The ACS said the Punjab government was committed to ensure a hassle-free and smooth procurement season and every grain of crops would be procured without causing any inconvenience to the peasantry. He said the farmers were receiving their payments timely besides ensuring foremost priority to prompt purchase.

Later, Aggarwal went to the village Libran where progressive farmers had adopted in-situ crop management wholeheartedly and became an inspiration for others by not burning stubble.

He said by mixing stubble in the fields, these farmers saved the environment from harmful gases and earned various benefits in terms of increased yield of crops and improved soil health.