98% wheat procured, but only 48% lifted

Bathinda: Wheat procurement in Punjab is nearing closure, but slow lifting of procured grain from mandis is emerging as a concern.By Thursday evening, over 93% of the estimated crop had reached mandis, with total arrivals at 114.1 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) against a target of 122 LMT. Procurement has kept pace, with 112.1 LMT already purchased, 98.2% of arrivals.On Thursday alone, procurement (3.8 LMT) exceeded arrivals (3.4 LMT), helping reduce unsold stock in mandis to about 2.0 LMT.However, lifting continues to lag. It is the process of transporting procured grain from mandis to storage points. 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 in 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 smooth closure of the season.