Bathinda: As Punjab’s wheat procurement season nears its end, unseasonal rainfall is threatening to damage over 55 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of unlifted harvested grain, exposing weaknesses in the state’s procurement and storage systems, reports The Times of India.
According to official data, 122.83 LMT of wheat had reached mandis (grain markets) by May 4. Of this, 121.48 LMT has been purchased — 111.76 LMT by government procurement agencies and 9.71 LMT by private traders. On Sunday alone, 1.31 LMT of fresh stock arrived in the mandis, and purchases slightly outpaced arrivals, totaling 1.45 LMT.
However, the lifting of grain from mandis to storage facilities remains slow. Only 67.51 LMT — about 55 percent of the purchased wheat — has been transported so far. The lifting rate within the mandatory 72-hour window currently stands at just 63 percent. On Sunday, 4.59 LMT was moved, leaving large volumes still exposed to the elements.
More than 1.34 LMT of wheat remains unsold in grain markets, and the combined total of unsold and unlifted grain now exceeds 55 LMT. With widespread rainfall continuing, farmers and commission agents (arhtiyas) are increasingly alarmed about potential moisture damage to the grain, especially given the lack of adequate scientific storage facilities.
Despite these challenges, procurement this year has slightly surpassed last year’s figures. By May 4, 2024, the state had procured 121.48 LMT, compared to 119.29 LMT in the same period last year.
Farmers and stakeholders are urging authorities to act quickly to ramp up the pace of lifting and safeguard the harvest. Delays, they warn, could lead to significant losses — both for growers and for the country’s food security reserves.
