Empty mandis, packed godowns

The targeted procurement of wheat is 115 lakh tonnes for the central pool. “The original target for the central pool was 120 lakh tonnes for 2013-2014 but was decreased. The 115 lakh tonnes is still 6 lakh tonnes more than last year’s contribution of 109 lakh tonnes to the central pool from Punjab,” said Nahar Singh, deputy general manager, FCI, Punjab, Nahar Singh.

The target was scaled down because of bad weather at the end of the harvesting season. Nahar Singh said if the arrival is high, however, agencies will purchase beyond the target.

In the past two years, Punjab has increased its covered storage capacity from 100 lakh tonnes to 143 lakh tonnes. The state also has 114 lakh tonnes covered and plinth (CAP) storage. CAP storage involves placing gunny bags on a raised cement-and-brick plinth and covering them with tarpaulin.

As of April 1, 2014, covered storage space of nearly 121 lakh tonnes remains occupied by the previous year’s foodgrains: 87 lakh tonnes rice and 34 lakh tonnes wheat. Space for around 20 lakh tonnes foodgrain will be cleared with movement out by June 30, but that will be offset by the fresh arrival of 27 lakh tonnes rice after final milling of the last year paddy crop In May and June. All that will leave only 15 of the 143-lakh-tonne space free. “We have to think ahead for the paddy season since paddy, unlike wheat, cannot be stored in the open,” said an FCI official, adding rice takes up all covered space.

Of the 114 lakh tonnes CAP space, that for 40 lakh tonnes is occupied by last year’s wheat stock, leaving space only for 75 lakh tonnes when 115 lakh tonnes is due to arrive. “Though we call CAP a scientific method, foodgrains stored in CAP are prone to damage from weather, rodents and pilferage, unlike when kept in covered spaces,” said a senior FCI officer, adding wheat will need to be kept in CAP storage,

Even if space is created by an outflow of foodgrain, an estimated 15 to 20 lakh tonnes of the new wheat will have to be stored in an unscientific manner until CAP storage is available, and the rainy season is ahead.

FCI officials say, nevertheless, that they are ready for the challenge. They are optimistic that late harvesting due to rain and hailstorms will, by the time of ripening of the crop, have created some space for new wheat with an outflow of some grain every month.

At the moment, the state moves an average 20 lakh tonnes foodgrain out to other states every month, but the outflow is sometimes it low, sources said.

FCI officials said storage is being increased with every passing year and more space is being created in Tarn Taran and Patiala but at the moment around 70 per cent of the incoming wheat will be kept in CAP storage.