Prepare for probable glut: Malerkotla DC to officials

With no arrival of wheat at any of the 46 mandis in the district during the first five days of procurement, personnel of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Markfed, Punsup, State Warehousing Corporation and Food Corporation of India have been asked to pull up their socks for handling a probable glut of the crop after a couple of days.

Senior officials of procurement agencies, market committees, Agriculture Department and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) have been asked to take measures to deal with weather adversaries, labour issues, transportation problems and availability of space for stocking produce.

Deputy Commissioner Viraj S Tidke said personnel in various departments involved in wheat procurement had been cautioned against adopting casual attitude due to non-arrival of produce at any of the mandis during the first five days.

“It has been seen in the past that wheat starts arriving normally a week after the procurement officially begins. A glut-like situation might emerge in the next few days,” said Tidke, maintaining that senior functionaries in various agencies and departments had been advised to pull up their socks so as to handle such a situation.

Tidke said all stakeholders, including commission agents, labour contractors, transporters and farmers, had been asked to facilitate smooth procurement of wheat by taking proactive measures for dumping, cleaning, procurement and lifting of the produce.

The district administration is expecting around 2,51,000 MT of wheat to arrive at mandis.

Showing satisfaction over arrangements made so far, Tidke said SDMs Harbans Singh and Rakesh Garg had been advised to monitor the preparedness and progress of procurement at grain markets in their respective areas at Malerkotla, Ahmedgarh and Amargarh.

Officials of procurement agencies said non-arrival of wheat during the first week of the season was not unusual in this part of Malwa. “Though we have completed all arrangements for handling a glut of wheat, most purchase centres may not receive any produce during the next week too,” said an inspector of the state food agency.

Punjab