Chandigarh, Oct 5: Within two weeks of the paddy procurement season, 1.12 lakh bags of paddy have arrived at the Sector 39 Grain Market in Chandigarh, with each bag weighing 37.5 kg. Sushil Mittal, president of the Grain Market Arhtiyas Association, said over 98% of the produce has already been purchased by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“Arrivals are gradually picking up pace,” Mittal noted, adding that the total volume this year is expected to remain 20 to 25% lower than last year due to crop losses caused by recent floods.
Farmers from Ropar and surrounding villages have been selling their paddy at the Chandigarh market for years. Rajinder Kumar, secretary of the Market Committee, said all arrangements have been made to facilitate farmers, including uninterrupted electricity and water supply. The market primarily serves farmers residing within a 25-30 km radius of Chandigarh.
The paddy season in Chandigarh typically continues until the end of November, with over 2,000 farmers participating annually. Last year, the market recorded arrivals of more than 7.23 lakh bags.
Farmers expressed satisfaction with the government’s increased minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, now fixed at Rs 2,389 per quintal, up from Rs 2,225 last year. Mittal said the FCI remains the sole purchasing agency at the Chandigarh Grain Market.
Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament from Chandigarh, reviewed procurement arrangements in a September 22 meeting of the FCI Advisory Committee. “Procurement of paddy in Punjab and Chandigarh should be absolutely hassle-free and seamless,” he emphasised.
B Srinivasan, general manager for the Punjab region, provided a detailed presentation on ongoing procurement operations for paddy and wheat across Punjab and Chandigarh, highlighting the system in place to ensure smooth purchases.
