Punjab food minister reviews paddy procurement arrangements

More than eight lakh farmers are expected to come to mandis with their crops across the state during the Kharif Marketing Season KMS 2023-24 beginning October 1, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said in a statement.

The Punjab government on Wednesday said all arrangements have been made for a smooth procurement of the paddy crop from October 1 and said a target has been fixed to procure 182 lakh metric tonnes of crop. More than eight lakh farmers are expected to come to mandis with their crops across the state during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24 beginning October 1, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said in a statement. The minister chaired a meeting to review preparations for paddy procurement on Wednesday, it said. The Cash Credit Limit (CCL) of Rs 37,625.68 crore has been authorised by the RBI for the paddy procurement season, he added. As many as 1,806 mandis have been set up across the state and rice mills have been linked with these mandis in accordance with the computerised GPS system, the statement said. Farmers and other stakeholders such as 'Arhtiyas' should not face any difficulty and a hassle-free procurement, along with smooth lifting and payments, should be ensured on the first day itself. Biometric authentication of farmers will be done at every mandi and no rice mill will be made a purchase centre, said Kataruchak. Gunny bags have been arranged in adequate numbers and the procurement target has been fixed at 182 lakh MT, the minister added.