The Punjab State Co-op Supply & Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) managing director (MD) Girish Dayalan and deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney on Wednesday took stock of wheat procurement operations in Raqba, Hathur and Kamalpura grain markets and emphasised prompt purchase and lifting to facilitate the farmers. They said that so far, around 3,02,392.3 MT wheat had arrived in the mandis across the district, of which 2,49,722 MT had been purchased and ₹467.6 crore had been paid to the farmers.

While interacting with the farmers and other stakeholders to enquire the ground situation in the grain markets, Dayalan and Sawhney said that the district administration had elaborate arrangements in place to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement of the foodgrains.

The officials were instructed to ensure timely lifting of the produce from the markets to avoid unnecessary storage issues. They said that the moisture content had also found to be within prescribed limit of 12%.

Dayalan and Sawhney added that there was the possibility of around 8.11 lakh MT wheat arrival in Ludhiana. They said that procurement operations in the district were going smoothly and the officials were duty-bound to ensure smooth and hassle free procurement and lifting to facilitate the farmers.