Chandigarh, May 5 (PTI) Wheat procurement for the central pool in Punjab grew by 10 per cent in the ongoing Rabi marketing season over the previous season's purchase, on higher arrivals.

Wheat procurement by the state-owned agencies reached 112.20 lakh metric tonne (LMT) so far as against procurement of 102 LMT in the corresponding period of last season, FCI official said today.

As wheat crop arrivals are still on in various grain markets of the state, total wheat procurement is expected to be around 118-120 LMT, officials said.

"This time, there will be a bumper crop in Punjab. The total procurement may reach 118-120 LMT," an official of Punjab Agriculture department said.

Punjab this season is anticipating 170 LMT of wheat output on the back of favourable weather conditions and absence of any major attack of any disease on the crop. Last year, wheat production was pegged at 165.12 LMT.

Wheat procurement for the central pool during previous season in Punjab was 106.56 LMT.

Private traders have also evinced keen interest in buying wheat from mandis as their purchase was on higher side this season.

Private traders including roller flour millers have purchased 2.50 LMT of wheat as against 1.70 LMT in corresponding period of last year, official said.

Meanwhile, as much as 72.17 LMT of wheat arrived in the mandis of Haryana so far.

Out of the total arrived wheat, the five government procuring agencies have purchased over 72.10 lakh metric tonnes and traders have purchased more than 6,834 metric tonnes of wheat at Minimum Support Price.

While stating this here today, a spokesman of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department said the procurement process was running smoothly in the mandis.

Giving details of the wheat procured by government agencies, he said that 17.82 lakh MT of wheat has been procured by Food and Supplies Department, whereas HAFED has purchased 25.90 lakh MT of wheat.

He said that Food Corporation of India has purchased 8.50 lakh MT of wheat, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation has purchased 6.61 lakh MT and 13.26 lakh MT of wheat has been procured by Haryana Warehousing Corporation.
 

Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/8674953_Wheat-procurement-for-central-pool-up-by-10-pc-in-Punjab.html