Ludhiana: A logistical bottleneck has left more than half of the procured wheat harvest stranded in open-air grain markets across the district, sparking fears among traders of losses due to theft, spoilage, and shrinking grain weights.
Despite government assurances, data from the district food supplies controller (DFSC) reveals a widening gap between procurement and transportation, with 55% of the crop awaiting removal from the district's markets.
As of April 24, Ludhiana district had purchased 5.6 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, yet only 2.5 LMT (about 45%) has been moved to permanent storage. The delay is causing a 'slow pace' crisis that has left commission agents (arhtiyas) vulnerable to several mounting risks.
Rising Heat and Shrinkage Risks
Rising heat is causing the grain to lose moisture content. Since wheat is sold by weight, this 'shrinkage' hits the bottom line of the agents directly. While the region is dry for now, the memory of unseasonal rains that damaged crops prior to harvest remains fresh. Exposed grain bags are at high risk of quality deterioration if the weather shifts.
In major hubs like Khanna — Asia's largest grain market — unlifted bags are piling up, threatening to leave no room for the final stages of the harvest arrival.
Logistical Hurdles
The delay is blamed on a perfect storm of labour and transportation shortages. Manjot Singh, an agent at the Khanna market, said while he had 6,000 bags of procured wheat ready, 3,500 sat unmoved for almost a week. 'We have heard the warehouses are short of labour for unloading the trucks,' he said. 'A lack of adequate trucks only aggravates the problem. We need a faster lifting so we don't suffer.'
In Jagraon as well, the situation is dire. Kaniya Gupta Banka, president of the Jagraon Arhitya Association, reported that wheat intended to be stored for only 72 hours was now sitting for eight days or more.
Government Response
Ludhiana's deputy commissioner, Himanshu Jain, defended the district's performance, stating that while the pace needs to accelerate, the district maintains the best lifting rates in Punjab. 'We are trying to secure special trains for shipping procured wheat and create additional storage space,' Jain said.
DFSC officials said because the bulk of the harvesting and procurement was already complete, the focus had shifted entirely to logistics. They remain optimistic that the 'grain mountain' will be cleared by the end of May.
