CHANDIGARH, Sept 24 — A week after Punjab opened procurement of non-basmati paddy, mandis across the state’s southern districts are still waiting for substantial arrivals. Officials said that while basmati has begun trickling in, harvesting of the main crop is unlikely to pick up before October.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday reviewed procurement arrangements and assured farmers that the process would remain smooth and hassle-free. “The procurement of paddy has started from September 15 and arrangements have already been made for the procurement of 175 lakh metric tonnes of grains,” Mann said in a statement, urging cultivators to dry their harvest before bringing it to mandis to avoid moisture-related delays. He added that 1,822 procurement centres have been notified across Punjab.
Field reports show patchy movement in the southern belt of Malwa. In Mansa, the first arrival was registered on September 18, when 18 tonnes reached Bareta mandi and was immediately purchased, according to District Mandi Officer (DMO) Aman Mangla. Faridkot saw its first load of non-basmati at Kotkapura on Tuesday, DMO Manish Kumar confirmed. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, who hails from Kotkapura, formally inaugurated the season there with a small consignment.
By contrast, Fazilka is yet to report any paddy arrival, an official spokesperson said. Bathinda DMO Gaurav Garg noted that only basmati is entering mandis at present. “We expect harvesting to gain momentum from the first week of October after which the mandis will experience heavy arrival of the crop,” Garg mentioned.
District authorities are also attempting to curb stubble burning, which typically escalates after paddy harvesting. Mansa Deputy Commissioner (DC) Navjot Kaur said 105 farmers had been felicitated for adopting zero-burning practices. Ferozepur DC Deepshikha reported that awareness drives are being conducted to promote safe disposal of crop residue.
In Sangrur, the procurement season began Tuesday with farmer Rajinder Singh bringing the first heap of paddy, auctioned under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Rahul Chaba. The district expects over 1.35 million metric tonnes of paddy this season, Chaba said, adding that 172 procurement centres are in operation. The government has allocated targets among procurement agencies: PUNGRAIN (34%), PUNSUP (22%), MARKFED (26%), Warehouse (13%), and the Food Corporation of India (5%).
Despite the slow start in south Malwa, officials maintained that all logistics are in place. “Farmers should not face any inconvenience for the sale of their produce in the mandis,” CM Mann noted, stressing that procurement agencies are fully prepared for the peak arrivals expected next month.
