Wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana touches new high

It was 18.03 million tonnes as against 16.89 million tonnes a year ago

Despite inclement weather conditions and untimely rains, Punjab and Haryana surpassed last year wheat procurement figures. Against the total procurement of 16.89 million tonnes in procurement season 2012-13 till last evening, the total procurement in these two states has touched 18.03 million tonnes this procurement season 2013-14.

In Punjab, government agencies and private millers procured more than 11.56 million tonnes of wheat till last evening against 11.03 million tonnes procured on the date last year. The spokesman of the government said, that out of total procurement of 11.56 million tonnes of wheat in all the procurement centres of Punjab, government agencies procured 11.28 million tonnes of wheat till date whereas private traders procured 0.27 million tonnes of wheat. The Central Government agency FCI had been able to procure 1.80 million tonnes (15.6%).

Similarly in Haryana, more than 6.44 million metric tonnes (MT) of wheat has so far arrived in various mandis during the current procurement season as compared to over 5.86 million tonnes arrived during the corresponding period last year. While stating this here today, a spokesman of the Food and Supplies Department said that the government agencies have procured 6.43 million tonnes of wheat whereas, 2,779 metric tonnes of wheat have been purchased by traders. The Food Corporation of India had procured 7.97 lakh MT of wheat during current procurement season so far.