Bathinda: Wheat procurement in Punjab is nearing closure, but the slow lifting of procured grain from mandis is emerging as a significant concern. As of Thursday evening, over 93% of the estimated crop had arrived in mandis, with total arrivals reaching 114.1 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against a target of 122 LMT.
Procurement has kept pace with arrivals, with 112.1 LMT already purchased, accounting for 98.2% of arrivals. On Thursday alone, procurement (3.8 LMT) exceeded arrivals (3.4 LMT), which helped reduce unsold stock in mandis to approximately 2.0 LMT.
However, the lifting process—transporting procured grain from mandis to storage points—continues to lag. Only 53.5 LMT, or about 47.7% of the procured stock, has been lifted so far, though 5.1 LMT was moved on Thursday. While procurement ensures farmers are paid after selling their crop, timely lifting is crucial to clear mandis for fresh arrivals, prevent grain damage due to exposure, and avoid congestion during the peak season. Delays can disrupt operations and lead to storage and quality concerns.
Private traders' participation remains minimal, accounting for just 0.96% of total procurement so far, sharply lower than 7.92% during the same period last year. The Food Corporation of India accounted for around 1.93% of purchases.
Among districts, Sangrur has recorded the highest arrivals at 8.8 LMT, followed closely by Bathinda (8.8 LMT) and Patiala (8.6 LMT).
With procurement almost complete, officials said the focus will now shift to accelerating lifting to ensure a smooth closure of the season.
