Wheat procurement season begins in Punjab

Chandigarh: The Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2024-25 today began in the State and would last till May 31st, 2024.

Disclosing this, the Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department Vikas Garg said that in the state, a total of 1908 regular procurement centers have been declared as mandi yards and allotment of procurement centers made between all the procurement agencies. In order to ensure uninterrupted procurement operations, temporary procurement centers are also being opened.

The procurement agencies of the State required the Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of Rs 30,776 crore with a view to procure due share of wheat (115.50 lakh metric tonnes). In this regard, CCL worth Rs 27,077.91 crore, for procuring wheat in April, has been received while the rest of CCL would be received in the month of May 2024.

To meet wheat procurement needs, Punjab’s agencies require 4.62 lakh jute bales, with 3.51 lakh already available as of March 31, 2024 while the rest would be received soon. In order to stop the illegal entry of PDS/Damaged Wheat from other states illicitly for sale in Punjab, directions have been issued to the DGP, Punjab Mandi Board and others concerned to set up ‘Nakas’ on the interstate barriers.