2.62 lakh MT of paddy lifted, 16.37 lakh MT procured so far: Punjab Food Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak

Around 2.62 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been lifted retired of full procurement of 16.37 lakh MT truthful acold successful authorities mandis, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said connected Saturday.

Amid farmers protesting against "tardy" procurement of the paddy crop, the curate urged the authorities atom millers to travel guardant and commencement their milling operations, asserting that the authorities authorities ever stands by them.

Several farmers' groups person been protesting against the dilatory procurement of paddy, which led to a glut successful mandis. The authorities atom millers and the committee agents are besides supporting the farmers' protest.

The authorities atom millers person complained of abstraction crunch for storing the caller paddy harvest and privation the Centre to liquidate the existing wheat and paddy banal to make capable space.

Rice millers person besides expressed interest implicit the out-turn ratio (post milling yield) of the PR-126 paddy variety, claiming that it volition pb to immense losses. They person said that the out-turn ratio of this assortment is little than 67 per cent, a ratio which has been fixed by the Centre.

They person refused to mill the paddy till their demands were met. The curate connected Saturday said determination volition beryllium capable abstraction disposable for the retention of the caller crop.

Addressing the media here, the curate said 18.31 lakh metric tonnes of paddy harvest has arrived truthful acold successful atom markers and of this, 16.37 lakh MT has been purchased. "2.62 lakh MT of paddy has been lifted truthful far," helium further said.

He further informed that farmers person got much than Rs 3,000 crore arsenic outgo for their produce. A people of procurement of 185 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from Punjab has been fixed for the 2024-25 Kharif Marketing season.

On the contented of abstraction crunch for storing nutrient grains, which has been raised by the atom millers, Kataruchak said the Food Corporation of India has a program to determination retired 13 lakh MT of foodgrain banal retired of Punjab successful October.

"9.50 lakh MT of abstraction has been created arsenic of present successful Punjab," helium said. He said that successful mean course, maximum foodgrain banal moves retired of the authorities from October to March.
"By December, 25-30 lakh MT of abstraction volition beryllium available," helium further said.

He further said 40 lakh MT of atom volition beryllium kept successful warehouse godowns aft wheat banal is moved out. "I bash not deliberation we volition person immoderate occupation pertaining to nutrient atom space," helium said arsenic helium sought to allay concerns of the atom millers.

He informed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had precocious met Union Minister Parhlad Joshi and raised the contented of abstraction crunch for nutrient atom storage.

The curate said the authorities authorities has already accepted the atom millers' request of releasing pending information of customized milled atom (CMR) and reducing CMR information which volition payment them to the tune of Rs 600 crore.

"Around 2,100 atom millers person registered and 1,500 millers person signed agreements. We are requesting them to assistance the harvest and instrumentality to their mills for milling operations," helium said.

To a question connected the lesser out-turn ratio successful PR-126 variety, Kataruchak said the CM during his caller sojourn raised the contented with the Centre.