Chandigarh, April 14:
As the wheat arrivals surge in most parts of the state, the State Procurement Agencies have set a 15 year record for highest purchase and farmer payments in the State as on this date.
Disclosing this today, a spokesperson of the State Government said that the total purchase of wheat has touched 17 Lakh Tonnes on 13th April which was the highest purchase on this date in the last fifteen years.
Divulging further he said that this year the State Government has already credited MSP payments worth Rs. 828 crore directly into the bank accounts of farmers, Additional payments worth Rs. 871 Crore have been cleared by the Department and would be credited into the accounts of the farmers as soon as the banks reopen on Saturday, he said. No payments would be possible on 14th – 15th April as a result of bank holidays on these dates, he added.
Replying to a question regarding the pace of purchase, the spokesperson said that 13th April witnessed the highest single day purchase of 4.7 Lakh tonnes in the present season. The day ending quantity of unsold wheat is much less than a single day’s arrival, which is proof enough of the efficiency with which the procurement is happening, he said.
On the increased global demand for wheat, he said that an all time record private purchase of 1 Lakh tonnes of wheat has already happened, which is way higher than the corresponding purchases on the same date in earlier years. Private purchases are picking up with every passing day, he added
Terming these record breaking figures a result of the meticulous arrangements made by the State Government on the strict directions of the Chief Minister, he said that Punjab Government was committed to farmers’ welfare and would continue to take all possible steps to facilitate the seamless sale of the hard earned produce of the farmers.
