India: Punjab Starts Paddy Procurement Process

The Punjab state government procurement agencies have geared up to purchase paddy form the grain markets of Punjab from Monday.

Government is buying paddy from Punjab farmers in advance from September 29 onwards, while it has already begun the process in Haryana. Normally, procurement of rice begins from October 1 and continues till September next year."

Paddy  in Punjab is expected to gain momentum only after October 17. The delay in arrival of rice in the state is being attributed to the enforcement of sowing restriction on farmers.  Due to depleting water level, Punjab had banned sowing of paddy before June 10 as earlier farmers were going for two crops in the kharif by sowing early maturity varieties during May. Punjab and Haryana are the main contributors of food grains to the Central pool.