The rapid increase in foodgrain production across the country in the past few years has engaged the food procurement and distribution agencies in more than one way.
The huge stocks lying in the traditional grain baskets of Punjab and Haryana and their laggard movement is likely to create tremendous pressure on the agencies in the upcoming procurement of kharif crop.
Food secretaries of states will have a brainstorming session with the Union food secretary in New Delhi on Tuesday to take stock of the situation. The preparedness for procurement of paddy would be the focus of the discussion.
Although it is an annual ritual to take cognizance of the requirements before the commencement of procurement, due to the growing self-sufficiency in other states, utilisation of food grains in Punjab and Haryana has been affected.
The state of Punjab has a stock of 6.3 million tonnes and another 2.3 million tonnes (mt) is under processing. So, against the total required contribution of 9.4 mt the state has still a pending stock of 8.6 mt.
This is an area of concern because like wheat, rice cannot be kept in open plinth. If the covered godowns are not evacuated in time it would create a mess.
A senior official in the Punjab government said that the average movement of stock per month is 1.2 mt, 0.6 million tonnes of rice and same volume of wheat that remains uniform. But due to the heldover stocks of last year, the pendency of the current season increased.
He added in order to clear the backlog a movement of over two million per month was ideal.
Haryana at the same time has a backlog of 1.17 mt of rice. The state should ideally move over 150,000 tonnes of rice every month but due to lukewarm demand from other states is despatcing less than 90,000 tonnes every month.
The dwindling requirement of other states results in late milling and adds to the moisture content and damages the grains. All these issues are likely to be taken up with the Union food secretary.
Both the states need 7.1 mt and 4 mt respectively of the additional covered capacity to meet the challenges pertaining to delayed movement.
The rice mills in the region need to upgrade themselves with sortex machines and dryers to segregate the good grain and control the moisture content.
The two states are pulling up their socks to persuade the central government to expedite the movement of grains. “The deterioration of grains results in rejection of lot and puts burden on state government. We then claim the compensation from government of India and at times the onus is put on the employees”, said an official.
Punjab has procured 400,000 gunny bales and would add another 500,000 by September.
The exercise of assessment of milling capacity and extension to the old mills are on. But the major concern is utilisation of existing stock.
The discussion among the representatives of different states may help to break the ice.
