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Punjab’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister has announced that so far, 16.37 lakh metric tons of paddy have been procured from the state's markets, with around 2.62 lakh metric tons already lifted. The minister has urged the rice mill owners in the state to expedite the milling process.
The Punjab government has successfully completed the procurement of 17 lakh metric tons of paddy, but farmers' organizations continue to protest due to the slow pace of procurement and storage issues. The government has assured that 40 lakh metric tons of wheat will be removed from warehouses to make space for paddy storage. Notably, the target for paddy procurement in Punjab is set at 185 lakh metric tons.
The minister also stated that so far, around 18.31 lakh metric tons of paddy have been dispatched to warehouses, with approximately 16.37 lakh metric tons procured and 2.62 lakh metric tons lifted. Farmers have received more than ₹3,000 crore as payment for their produce. The Punjab government aims to procure 185 lakh metric tons of paddy during the 2024-25 Kharif Marketing Season.
Addressing the issue of insufficient storage capacity raised by rice mill owners, the minister mentioned that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) plans to release around 13 lakh metric tons of food stock from Punjab by October. As of now, around 9.50 lakh metric tons of additional storage capacity has been arranged in the state. By December, it is expected that 25-30 lakh metric tons of storage space will be available.
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The minister assured that after the wheat stock is removed, 40 lakh metric tons of rice will be stored in the warehouses. He addressed the concerns of rice mill owners, stating that there is unlikely to be any shortage of storage space. Around 2,100 rice millers have registered for lifting paddy, and 1,500 millers have already signed agreements. The government is requesting them to start lifting the paddy and begin the milling process promptly.