Wheat procurement reaches 99 lakh tonnes in Punjab

Wheat purchase in Punjab has reached 99.01 lakh tonnes so far in the ongoing procurement season.
Out of total purchase, 94.10 lakh tonnes was bought by state-owned procurement agencies while 1.47 lakh tonne was purchased by private traders, an official spokesman said here.
State government procured 3.43 lakh tonne bought for its own subsidized foodgrain --Atta-Dal scheme.
Giving details of agency wise procurement, he said Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC and PAIC procured 16.12 lakh tonne, 19.83 lakh tonne, 19.29 lakh tonne, 11.91 lakh tonne and 9.55 lakh tonne respectively.
Central procurement agency FCI bought 17.37 lakh tonne, he said.
With wheat crop facing yield loss combined with lustre loss and shrivelled grains, the state is unlikely to achieve wheat procurement of 125 lakh metric tonne for which the state government had made necessary arrangements.

Wheat purchase is likely to remain between 100-105 lakh tonne, official said.
Punjab had witnessed all time high crop purchase of 128.30 lakh tonne in 2012-13 season.