Rs 185 cr paid to paddy growers, 18.22 LT bought in Punjab

Paddy growers in Punjab were paid Rs 185 crore during the ongoing kharif marketing season with crop procurement in the state reaching 18.22 lakh tonnes so far.
The payment of Rs 185 crore was made to farmers against the purchase of their paddy crop by different procurement agencies, said an official spokesman here today.
Out of total purchase, the government-owned agencies lifted 17.22 lakh tonnes while rest was bought by private millers or traders, said the spokesman.
Among government agencies, Pungrain lifted 4.82 lakh tonnes, while Markfed, Punsup, PSWC and Punjab Agro bought 4.18 lakh tonnes, 3.91 lakh tonnes, 1.65 lakh tonnes and 1.75 lakh tonnes, respectively.

FCI procured 88,761 tonnes of paddy crop.
Punjab is eyeing to procure 140 lakh tonnes of paddy during ongoing season.

Meanwhile, in Haryana more than 14.15 lakh tonnes of paddy have so far arrived and out of which over 12.78 lakh tonnes were purchased by the procuring agencies during the Kharif 2014-15.
While stating this here today, a spokesman of the Food and Supplies Department said that over 1.36 lakh tonnes of paddy have been purchased by millers and dealers.
He said a maximum of over 4.04 lakh tonnes of paddy have arrived in the mandis of Kurukshetra followed by over 3.81 lakh tonnes in Karnal and over 2.01 lakh tonnes in Kaithal.

He said among the procuring agencies the Food and Supplies Department has procured over 5.99 lakh tonnes of paddy whereas HAFED has procured over 3.83 lakh tonnes, Agro Industries Corporation over 2.01 lakh tonnes and Haryana Warehousing Corporation 94,407 tonnes.