Bumper Wheat Harvest in Punjab; 12.5 Million Tonnes Expected to Reach Markets
22 April 2025, Chandigarh: Punjab is witnessing a bumper wheat harvest this season, with an estimated 12.5 million metric tonnes of wheat expected to arrive in the state’s markets. This was stated by Lal Chand Kataruchak, Punjab’s Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, during his visit to the grain market in Rupnagar on Friday to review procurement arrangements.
The minister informed that so far, 1.316 million metric tonnes of wheat have already reached the mandis, out of which around 1.1 million metric tonnes have been procured. He added that ₹703 crore has been disbursed to farmers, with payments being made within 24 hours of procurement, as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He further assured that there have been no delays in the transportation of wheat.
Kataruchak said that if the weather remains favourable, the quality of wheat is expected to be excellent this year. He mentioned that all procurement agencies and commission agents have been instructed to make adequate arrangements for tarpaulins and crates to protect the crop from rain or adverse weather. There is also no shortage of jute bags for packaging the produce.
Smooth Procurement Assured for Farmers and Commission Agents
The minister assured that farmers and commission agents will not face any issues during the procurement process. “As per the Chief Minister’s directive, I am personally visiting markets to monitor the arrangements,” he said, adding that all officials involved in procurement have been strictly instructed to ensure smooth operations without any negligence.
Acknowledging the Efforts of Labourers
Interacting with the labourers at the mandi, Kataruchak described them as the “true gods of the soil” for their hard work in supporting their families. He expressed gratitude for their role in the marketing of crops and shared that the Punjab government has increased labour wages twice in a year. The rate was first increased from ₹1.80 to ₹2.21 per unit, and now further raised by ₹0.43, bringing it to ₹2.64 per unit. This, he said, would result in an annual benefit of approximately ₹10 crore to the labour community.
Procurement Target Set at 13 Million Tonnes
Kataruchak stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Mann, the state government has made arrangements to procure 13 million metric tonnes of wheat this season to ensure that every grain brought by farmers is purchased at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He reiterated the government’s commitment to procure every single grain grown through the hard work of Punjab’s farmers.
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