Chandigarh, Oct 23 (PTI) Punjab Food minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday said a total of 10 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been lifted so far in the ongoing paddy procurement season.
With more than 50 per cent rice mills allotted for storage and milling of paddy for ongoing Kharif Marketing Season 2024-25, lifting of paddy is going on smoothly in all districts, with a total of 10 lakh MT paddy lifted till Wednesday, he said.
“Despite initial disruptions due to reluctance of a few rice miller groups for allotment and milling, the lifting process has gained momentum in all districts of the state and more than 2 lakh MT paddy has been lifted in a single day today,” he added.
Regarding payments, he said a sum of Rs 5,683 crore have already been directly transferred to farmers’ accounts.
His statement came amid farmers complaining of “tardy” paddy procurement in the state.
The minister said out of total 5,000 rice mills in Punjab, 3,120 have already applied for allotment, out of which 2,522 rice mills have been allotted, while allotment of another 100 mills, which is under process, would be completed.
Also, 1,550 rice mills have already executed agreements with state agencies for storage and milling of paddy being procured, while nearly 150 are under process, said the minister.
He emphasized that ensuring smooth procurement remains a top priority for the state government and farmers need not worry about their produce.
Out of the total paddy arrivals of 38 lakh MT in mandis till Wednesday, 34.5 lakh MT paddy has already been procured.
The minister also highlighted that paddy arrivals in mandis have reached around 4.5 lakh MT per day, with almost all of it being purchased by the end of the day.
“As of today, unsold paddy in the state stands at less than one day’s arrival,” he said. PTI CHS DRR DRR
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