Wheat Procurement In Punjab – Economics

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Wheat procurement in Punjab is taking place despite the challenging circumstances during Covid-19.
Punjab is the country’s highest contributor of wheat at over 46% of the central pool.
Punjab has already procured three-quarters of its procurement target of 13.5 million tonnes for the national pool.

CHALLENGES

Punjab used the networking skills of its 27,000 registered commission agents.
Each of them engaged 15 to 20 workers, mostly people working in urban sectors such as construction, catering or as taxi drivers.
These agents have provided them with masks, soap and sanitisers.
They also arranged for accommodation of those who want to stay in the mandis.
Also, each agent is responsible for 20 to 200 farmers, whose crop he sells, and coupons for entry in the mandis.

The government restricted the number of people in mandis
Set a target of 27 lakh coupons for farmers.
The government has extended the procurement season by a month (April 15 to June 15), to prevent a rush in mandis.
The procurement has been staggered at the rate of less than 7 lakh tonnes daily, even during the peak phase (April 20-May 1).
In previous years, the peak days would see 9 to 11 lakh tonnes daily.

The Food and Civil Supply Department along with the Punjab Mandi Board (PMB) have set up 3,447 wheat purchase centres.
Earlier – 1,849 grain markets
This increase is achieved by converting the rice sale centres into wheat purchase centres.

Designated trucks are doing transportation to godowns and storage units of the FCI (Food Corporation of India).
Less than 5 lakh tonnes is being transported daily across the state.
The government has loaded 25.77 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice on 1,031 special trains.
PMB is preventing crowds in mandis by issuing the coupons in a staggered manner.
It has set up a control room for enquiries and complaints.