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Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Punjab wheat season concludes with 130 LMT procured, 10.8 LMT by traders
Chandigarh: A day after the wheat procurement season came to a close, Punjab food and supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Friday said a total of 130 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) wheat had been procured, including 119.24 LMT by state agencies and 10.80 LMT by traders. Emphasising that the entire wheat stock that arrived in the grain markets had been procured, the minister said the purchase of wheat by traders saw an upswing this time. "Lifting is on and 104.51 LMT has been moved. The remaining stocks of 14.72 LMT will be lifted from the mandis in the next 6-7 days. A total of Rs 28,571 crore had been credited into the accounts of over seven lakh farmers," he said. "Fulfilling its promise, the state govt procured every single grain of the 130.03 LMT wheat that arrived in the grain markets. In order to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement, the state govt had set up a total of 2,885 mandis and purchase centres, out of which 1,864 were regular and 1,021 were temporary centres," he added. "The lifted stocks have been moved to storage points and open plinths. The direct delivery to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has started and 18.27 LMT wheat has been handed over to it," said Kataruchak. Punjab set a target of 124 LMT but made preparations for procuring up to 132 LMT at the start of the season. Last year's total procurement figure was 130 LMT, which included 123 LMT by procurement agencies and 7.18 LMT by private traders. The Punjab govt secured a Rs 28,000 crore cash credit limit (CCL) for wheat procurement, ensuring that farmers receive payments within 24 hours of selling their crops at the minimum support price (MSP). The state govt designated 1,864 mandis and procurement centres for wheat procurement, with an additional 700 temporary mandis. RECORD PURCHASE BY TRADERS Private traders emerged as active buyers of wheat from Punjab farmers this season, accounting for 8.30% of the total procurement, driven by the expectation of year-end profits. This marks a shift from previous years when private trade largely avoided Punjab's wheat market due to the state's high 8.5% procurement levies, which include a 3% market fee, a 3% rural development cess, and a 2.5% commission for arhtiyas. This taxation is significantly higher compared to the approximately 3% procurement levies in most other key wheat-producing states. Earlier, flour mills usually bought additional stocks of wheat from the FCI from time to time, but wheat production dipped over the past two years. This helped the traders sell wheat at a premium, and they are expecting a similar trend this season too. Some farmers have also decided to hold back their stocks this time. MSID:: 121215791 413 |
Hans India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Hans India
111 lakh metric tons wheat procured in Punjab, says minister
Chandigarh: As wheat procurement in Punjab is heading for a record production of 124 lakh metric tons (LMT), the procurement has been going on at a rapid pace throughout Punjab and till now 114 LMT of produce has arrived, out of which 111 LMT has been procured. Interacting with the media, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday said the procurement by government agencies has crossed the 100-LMT mark and currently stands at 103 LMT. As regards the payments to the farmers, an amount to the tune of Rs 22,815 crore has been credited into the accounts of farmers, said the minister, adding till date 628,674 farmers have brought their produce into the mandis. The lifting is also picking up speed, and 47.37 lakh metric tons has been lifted, which is 56.6 per cent as per the 72-hour norms. Furthermore, in order to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement, a total of 2,885 procurement centres have been established in the state and out of these 1,864 are regular while 1,021 are temporary ones. The minister also disclosed that this time around, the yield has been very high, which has led to a bumper crop in Punjab. He said that this would help a great deal in successfully meeting the target of 124 LMT. Divulging more details, Kataruchak mentioned that he is visiting the mandis throughout the state at regular intervals, and not even a single farmer has complained regarding the arrangements made at the mandis. All the necessary amenities such as 'bardana', proper sanitation, drinking water and wooden crates have been ensured. Among others present on the occasion were Principal Secretary Rahul Tewari, Additional Secretary Kamal Kumar Garg, and Additional Director Anjuman Bhaskar.
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Release market fee accrual, RDF: Punjab to Centre
The Punjab government has once again raised the issue of pending market fee accrual and rural development fund (RDF) with the Centre. In a letter to Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sent last week, state food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that repeated reminders have been sent for the past three years and seven procurement seasons rabi (wheat) and kharif (paddy) but market fee funds are being sent at 2% rate. The state has been seeking a market fee at 3% and according to data, an amount of ₹1,100 crore is pending market with the Centre. The pendency is since 2021, which means four paddy procurement seasons (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) including three wheat procurements and three wheat procurement seasons (2022, 2023 and 2024). In case the Centre pays the state at the same rate during the current wheat procurement, the pendency will increase to nearly ₹1,400 crore. In case pending RDF are also included the pending sum increases to ₹8,250 crore. 'These funds are the state's right and lifeline, and they will be beneficial for the state in giving a push to the development,' Kataruchak said, hoping that during the current wheat procurement, which is underway, the Centre will resume release of 3% market fee. If the Union government releases a market fee at 3%, the state government is slated to get ₹867 crore, and at 2% the amount will be ₹578 crore, a state agricultural marketing board official said, pleading anonymity. 'We are in constant talks with the Centre and pursuing the release of market fee as fixed by the state government as accrual of taxes on food grain procurement is prerogative of the state. Farmers grow food grains for the central pool and state agencies and the Food Corporation of India procures the grain,' the officer with the Mandi Board added. Pending RDF A sum of ₹6,857 crore is also pending against the rural development fund (RDF), which the Centre has stopped since the paddy procurement of 2021. As per figures from the Mandi Board, since the four seasons of paddy (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024), ₹1,110, ₹1,112, ₹1,170 and ₹1,200 are pending. For wheat procurement (2022, 2023, and 2024) ₹650 crore, ₹765 crore, and ₹850 crore is pending. The state government has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions for the Centre to release RDF. The case is coming up for hearing on April 30 and the state government is hopeful of an early fruitful decision. It needs to be mentioned that in 2021, when the RDF release was stopped, the Centre conveyed to the state government that the funds were being used on works other than maintenance of mandis and rural roads which supports the procurement. The state government was conveyed to amend the Punjab Rural Development Act of 1987, which gives provisions for the imposition of a 3% tax by the state on food grain procurement in the form of RDF. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, on assuming power in the state in 2022, had amended the Act. The Centre had informed the state that it would pay taxes lump-sum 2% on each procurement (rabi and kharif) on a par with other states, to which the Punjab government has objected.
Mint
27-04-2025
- Business
- Mint
Wheat procurement crosses 18.39 mt, 54% more than last year
Arrival of wheat gathered pace across key producing state with government agencies purchasing over 18.39 million tonnes (MT) of the grain from 15 March till 23 April, which is 54% more than the same period in the previous marketing year. Last year, government agencies procured over 11.92 MT during the period, according to the government data. The marketing year runs from 15 March to 30 June. Punjab leads procurement with 5.92 MT as of 23 April compared with 3.49 MT in the same period last year. The procurement process started late in Punjab, only picking up after Baisakhi which was celebrated on 13 April. However, in coming days the arrivals are set to pick up. "The target is to make sure that the daily arrival of wheat in the mandis touches 500,000 metric tonnes," said Punjab's minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, Lal Chand Kataruchak. Government agencies are targeting to procure 12.4 MT from Punjab. Punjab is followed by Haryana where procurement stood at 5.66 MT as of 23 April compared with 4.81 MT during the same period last year. The government is targeting to procure 7.5 MT from Haryana. Punjab and Haryana are the biggest contributors to the central stock of wheat. Another factor is that the decision by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to pay farmers a bonus over and above the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹ 2,425 per quintal has started showing results. Both the states witnessed a substantial increase in wheat procurement this year. Madhya Pradesh procured 5.40 MT of wheat this year as compared with 2.97 MT last year. Similarly, the total procurement was 0.82 MT in Rajasthan compared with 0.23 MT last year. Madhya Pradesh has announced a bonus payment of ₹ 175 per quintal to the farmer while ₹ 150 per quintal was announced by the Rajasthan government. Overall, In the 2025-26, marketing season, the government is targeting to procure 31.2 million tonnes of wheat from farmers from Punjab (12.4 MT), Haryana (7.5 MT), Madhya Pradesh (6 MT), Uttar Pradesh (3 MT ) and Rajasthan (2 MT). In 2024-25 marketing year, the government procured 26.6 million tonnes of wheat. The increase in procurement will help the government curb price surges and cater to welfare schemes. According to the Union agriculture ministry, wheat production is projected at a record 115.43 MT during the 2024-25 rabi season, surpassing the previous year's 113.29 MT. The 2% increase is mainly attributed to conducive weather with no natural calamities. First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 05:00 AM IST
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Lifting is prime focus', says minister as wheat stocks linger in Punjab
Chandigarh: Despite 74.63 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat procured in Punjab, the lifting of stocks continues to lag at just 29%, with only 21.90 LMT moved so far. Until Thursday, 80.79 LMT of wheat arrived in the mandis, and the daily arrival has already crossed the 10 LMT mark. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While chairing a meeting to review wheat procurement, food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Thursday asked officials to speed up the removal of stocks from grain markets. "Lifting in the mandis is the prime focus of the Punjab govt," he said. The minister was informed that the food and civil supplies department was holding weekly meetings with the deputy commissioners to ensure that there is "no let-up in the lifting process." On the issue of e-KYC, it was pointed out that 1.25 lakh beneficiaries had been brought on board, which comes around to 81 percent. Ravinder Singh Cheema, president, Punjab Arhtiyas Association, said lifting had been tardy in the grain markets and there was a need for the state govt to expedite the process. "Almost the entire wheat crop of around 70 LMT in the Malwa region has arrived in the markets. In the coming days, the moisture content in the jute bags will reduce, and it would result in a loss of weight. It will lead to financial losses to the arhtiyas. Both farmers and arhtiyas faced similar problems during the paddy season. The Centre and the state govt should take a policy decision on this," he said. Jaswinder Singh Rana, Patiala district president of the Arhtiyas Association, also demanded that the authorities needed to accelerate the lifting process by addressing hiccups related to transportation and labour. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The labour from other states has been reluctant to come to Punjab due to relatively lesser rates being offered by the Punjab govt to the mandi labour. All these factors are affecting the lifting process," he said. The Centre set a target of purchasing 124 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, and a cash credit limit of Rs 28,894 crore had been sanctioned. Around 8 lakh farmers will bring their produce to the mandis of Punjab during the season, and 1,864 procurement centres have been set up. Apart from this, 600 temporary mandis have also been set up, which will be used as per the requirement. TRADERS PROCURE 6 LMT Of the total 74.63 LMT wheat procured so far, the govt agencies have procured 68.25 LMT while 6.38 LMT has been procured by traders. The day's lifting stood at 4.42 LMT on Thursday. MSID:: 120590448 413 |
