Punjab to begin paddy procurement Oct 1, eyes 140 lakh tonnes

Paddy procurement in Punjab will begin Wednesday (Oct 1) with the state eyeing a target of 140 lakh tonnes this season.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon directed all the heads of the state procurements agencies to ensure prompt lifting of paddy at the 1,806 purchase centres set up across the state.

"Punjab is eying to procure 140 lakh tonnes of paddy this year," he said.

"In line with the directive of the central government, the Punjab government has decided to use 40 kg gunny bags instead of 35 kg, which would save approximately Rs. 200 crore during the ensuing procurement," he added.

Kairon said that good quality, sturdy gunny bags with accurate weight would be ensured while packing the produce.

The central government has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy at Rs.1,400 per quintal for Grade A and Rs. 1,360 per quintal for common variety of paddy.

Kairon appealed to farmers to bring dry clean and fully matured paddy to the grain market so that procurement could be hassle-free.