As the official wheat procurement season came to an end on May 31,Punjab created a new record with government agencies and traders procuring 110.5 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat,beating its previous record of 110 lakh MT. Out of the total procurement,while the five state government agencies and Food Corporation of India (FCI) procured 99.7 per cent (11.02 lakh MT),purchase by private traders continued its declining trend and fell to 33982 tonnes (0.3 per cent). Among state agencies,Markfed procured 25.83 lakh tonnes (23.4 per cent),Punsup 24.59 lakh tonnes,Pungrain 17.52 lakh,PSWC 15.50 lakh tonnes and PAIC 12.10 lakh tonnes of wheat. FCI had been able to procure 16.6 lakh tonnes of wheat which was the 15 per cent of the total procurement of wheat in the state. Ferozepur district is leading with procurement of 13.69 lakh tonnes,followed by Sangrur at 10.28 lakh tonnes and Ludhiana at 8.61 lakh tonnes. A spokesperson of the Punjab Food and Civil Supply Department said farmers within 48 hours after lifting of wheat,farmers have been paid for their produce in all,a payment of Rs 12178.91 crore has been made.
