More than 60% wheat procured by govt agencies still lying in Punjab grain markets

“Soon several mandis in the state will face a glut like situation as there will be hardly any space left to keep the fresh grain arrival in the coming days,” said Darshan Lal, president of the Khanna Mandi Labour Union. He said in several mandis, 80 to 90 per cent of the procured wheat was yet to be moved out.

As per the data secured from grain markets, Pungrain has procured 16.59 lakh tonnes of wheat out of which 10.60 lakh tonnes is lying in grain markets. Food Corporation of India FCI has procured 2.92 lakh tonnes of which only 1.20 lakh tonnes has been transported out. Markfed has procured 14.24 lakh tonnes of wheat of which 9.93 lakh tonnes is still lying in mandis. The PUNSUP has purchased 12.83 lakh tonnes out of which 8.72 lakh tonnes is lying in the mandis, while Warehouse has purchased 8.15 lakh tonnes of which 5.43 lakh tonnes is still in the grain markets. Of the total non-transported wheat, around 21 per cent is lying in the grain markets of three districts of Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Sangrur.

Meanwhile, private players are doing much better in moving out the purchased wheat. They had procured 3.16 lakh tonnes till Monday out of which 2.62 lakh tonnes have already been lifted and only 53,810 tonnes is lying in the grain markets.