Now, Punjab seeks easier wheat-buy norms

Asks Centre to implement procurement rules similar to those in Haryana

The Punjab government has sought relaxation in uniform specifications for procuring wheat to alleviate the hardship being faced by farmers due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms.

The state government has written to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, seeking Punjab's procuring norms be eased and made similar to the one in Haryana, sources said. Sources said the Punjab government sought the assistance after taking into consideration the samples submitted by Food Corporation of India (FCI) from the mandis in the state.

Unseasonal rains and hailstorms, especially in March and April, had damaged wheat crop in Punjab. The high moisture content in wheat led to the state and central agencies freezing their purchases. According to the state agricultural marketing board, 575,000 tonnes of wheat arrived in the state's markets but only 60,000 tonnes were procured. Arrival was 28 per cent lower than last year. The previous year's arrival was 801,000 tonnes.

Speaking to Business Standard, sources said FCI had submitted its reports on the samples collected from 85 markets across the state. On the basis of the feedback, the state government sought assistance from the Centre to reduce the hardship on farmers. To avoid distress sale of wheat, the state has sought relaxed procurement norms, on the pattern of Haryana.

The Centre had on April 14 relaxed the quality norms for procurement of wheat in Haryana. According to the revised norms, FCI will procure "shrivelled and broken grains" up to 9 per cent from farmers, against the limit of 6 per cent. It will also procure "lustre lost wheat" up to 10 per cent affected kernels without a cut in value. However, in case of "lustre lost grain" over 10 per cent and up to 50 per cent, affected kernals are to be purchased with one-fourth of one full value cut.

FCI and state government agencies are targeting to procure 12.5 million tonnes of wheat from Punjab. Last year, wheat purchased by agencies and private traders was 12.07 million tonnes. The total area under wheat in Punjab during the current procurement season was 3.5 million hectares and the anticipated production was over 15 million tonnes.