Chandigarh: In the first five days of procurement of paddy in Punjab, the government agencies have procured more than 1.57 million tonnes till Sunday, a government spokesman said.

Five procurement agencies of the Punjab government and the Food Corp of India (FCI) are engaged in the procurement process. They have procured nearly 98 percent of the paddy arriving in grain markets across the state.

Private rice millers have procured nearly 200,000 tonnes of paddy so far, the spokesman added.

Grain markets in Amritsar division recorded the highest procurement at 627,993 tonnes.

The food and supplies department in Punjab has set up 1,622 procurement centres across the state to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.

Farmers are being given payment of the procured paddy within 48 hours.

 

Source : ians