Storage crisis in Punjab
26-Oct-2024 12:38 PM
The state which contributes the most food grains to the central pool, Punjab, is facing an adverse effect on the government procurement of Kharif paddy due to acute shortage of space in godowns/warehouses for grain storage these days and its pace is seen to be much slower than last year.
Till now, a large part of the paddy purchased from farmers on MSP is present in mandis or purchase centers only because it is not being lifted quickly.
There is also some problem with rice mill owners and shellers. It is surprising that the state and central government were already fully aware of the storage crisis but no serious effort was made to resolve it in time.
Now that the problem has come to the fore, efforts are being made to empty the godowns in a hurry but it will take three-four months and till then where will the stock of paddy-rice be kept is a question worth thinking about.
It is a matter of relief that there is very little rain in Punjab during winters but sometimes untimely rain occurs due to the activity of western disturbance.
Another important thing is that the problem of foodgrain storage in Punjab is expected to persist for a long time because production is increasing there but new godowns are not being built.
Apart from this, along with rice, there may also be a crisis of safe storage of wheat in the upcoming Rabi marketing season because the government is planning to temporarily store paddy and rice in the godowns reserved for wheat. Wheat procurement will start in March-April next year.
90 percent of the paddy procurement is lying in the mandis while rice millers are not ready to lift and store it. The pace of paddy procurement is very slow.
The Union Food Minister has said that the target of purchasing 124 lakh tonnes of rice (paddy equivalent to it) will be achieved in Punjab but looking at the current pace, it seems difficult to happen.
The government has to procure paddy in the state till November 30, whereas till October 23, only 37.68 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured which is much less than the 49 lakh tonnes procured in the same period last year. This time a target has been set to procure 185 lakh tonnes of paddy in the state.