Punjab, Haryana state procures 180 LT of wheat

Food grain producing states Punjab and Haryana have procured nearly 180 lakh tonnes (LT) of wheat, beating the record of recent years. Despite inclement weather conditions and untimely rains, the state of Punjab has successfully achieved the wheat procurement target of 115 LT on May 18. The farmers have been paid over Rs 14,378 crore for the wheat procured. The procurement process was in full swing with various government agencies and private millers procuring over 115.63 LT of wheat at 1,757 procurement centres. The agencies had procured only 110.32 LT of wheat in the same period last year. The district of Sangrur in Punjab is leading in procurement, followed by Ludhiana and Bathinda districts. In Haryana, nearly 64.40 LT of wheat has arrived in various grain markets during the current procurement season. The government agencies here have procured nearly 64.38 LT of wheat. Last year, only 58.57 LT of wheat had arrived in the corresponding period. Sirsa, Fatehabad and Karnal districts were leading in wheat procurement.