Ashu: Token system for wheat procurement

Chandigarh, April 8

The procurement of wheat will begin in Punjab from April 10. All necessary arrangement have been made. This was stated by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu today.

He said during the current season, the procurement agencies as well as the FCI would procure wheat on the fixed MSP of Rs 1,975. The Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Department of the state had expressed the possibility of the arrival of 130 lakh metric tonne of wheat in view of which the targets of procurement had been fixed between various agencies such as Pungrain (8.5 lakh MT) while around 121.5 lakh MT wheat will be purchased by Markfed, Punsup, Warehouse and FCI under the central pool.

Ashu said during the rabi season 2020-21, the state government had made arrangements for the new jute/HDAP/PP sacks of 50 kg with regard to procurement of wheat for the central pool. The Pungrain had arranged for the sacks with 30 kg capacity for filling the wheat to be distributed under the National Food Security Act.

He said due to Covid-19, a token system had been introduced so as to enable farmers systematically bring their wheat to mandis. Social distancing norms would be enforced in mandis. — TNS