Lok Sabha Question No. 4583 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Reduction in Procurement of Wheat and Paddy from Punjab
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4583 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH AUGUST, 2025

## REDUCTION IN PROCUREMENT OF WHEAT AND PADDY FROM PUNJAB

## 4583. DR. RAJ KUMAR CHABBEWAL:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the delays and reduction in procurement of wheat and paddy from Punjab during the 2024-25 season;
- (b) the reasons for delayed lifting,  inadequate availability  of  gunny bags and any revised procurement norms affecting farmers;
- (c) whether these delays led to distress sales and financial  losses and if so, the steps taken by the Government to ensure timely  procurement and full  payment to farmers;
- (d) whether any compensation is being considered for  losses incurred due to procurement delays and policy  changes impacting Punjab's farmers; and
- (e) if  so, the details thereoP

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a) : The period of procurement of paddy for Kharif  Marketing  Season and wheat for Rabi Marketing  Season is fixed in consultation with  respective State Government during the meeting with Food Secretaries of State/UTs.

There has been no delay in  procurement of wheat and paddy in Punjab. The date of commencement of wheat and paddy procurement in Punjab during Marketing  Seasons 2022-23 to 2024-25 is as under:

| Marketing Season   | Date of commencement of procurement   | Date of commencement of procurement   |
|--------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                    | Wheat                                 | Paddy                                 |
| 2022-23            | 0 1.04.2022                           | 01.10.2022                            |
| 2023-24            | 0 1.04.2023                           | 01.10.2023                            |
| 2024-25            | 0 1.04.2024                           | 01.10.2024                            |

The procurement of wheat and paddy in Punjab for central pool during last three Marketing Seasons 2022-23 to 2024-25 is as under:

| Marketing Season   | Procurement (in LMT)   | Procurement (in LMT)   |
|--------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|                    | Wheat                  | Paddy                  |
| 2022-23            | 96.45                  | 186.11                 |
| 2023-24            | 121.12                 | 185.28                 |
| 2024-25            | 124.57                 | 173.33                 |

The procurement of wheat  and Paddy in a state is based upon estimated production, marketable surplus and agricultural crop pattern.

- (b): Creation /vacation of  storage space for  receipt /storing incoming stocks is  a continuous ongoing process of moving  out the already stored stocks of foodgrain.  In order to  make additional  storage capacity  available  for  receipt/storage of  rice  after  milling of current crop of paddy, measures like prioritising  movement/evacuation of wheat stocks kept in  covered godowns in  the State, additional storage capacity hiring,  additional outward movement of rice from Punjab have been resorted to.

Sufficient quantity of  gunny bags was available with  all procuring agencies before start of procurement.

- (c) to (e): The steps taken by the Government to ensure timely procurement and full payment to farmers are as under:
- (i) FCI,  the nodal central agency of  Government of India, along with  other State Agencies undertakes procurement of  wheat and paddy under Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation. Coarse grains/millets  in  central pool  are procured by  State Government Agencies only  under decentralized procurement  system.
- (ii)  FCI  and various  State Agencies in  consultation with  the State Government establish a large number of purchase centers at various mandis and key points. The number of centers and their  locations  are decided by  the  State Governments,  based on various  parameters, so as to maximize the MSP operations. Such extensive &  effective price support operations have resulted in  sustaining the  income of  farmers over  a period  and in  providing  the required impetus for higher investment in agriculture sector for improved productivity.
- (iii)  Stocks conforming to the Government of India specifications which  are offered by the farmers at purchase centers are procured by  the  Government Agencies at MSP.  If  the farmers get prices better than the  support price in  open market, they  are free to sell their produce. Presence of  Government Agencies ensures prevention of  distress sale of  food grains by the farmers.

(iv)  Procurement of  foodgrains under MSP operations is mandatorily being carried out through  State Procurement Portals  which  has brought  in  substantial transparency in  the process with  introduction of  registration of  farmers for  sale of  their produce at govt. procuring centers/ man(iis, land/crop verification  and online payment of MSP directly  into the farmer's bank account.

(v)  'One Nation, One MSP through DBT'  implemented across the country from RMS 2021-22 onwards. Payment of MSP has been ensured directly into farmers' account. DBT of MSP has brought in responsibility, transparency & real time monitoring in the system.

(vi) in order to widen the reach of MSP opQrations for food grains, Government of India has made a provision for engagement of Co-operative societies/ Self Help  Groups/ Panchayats/ Primary  Agriculture  Credit  Societies (PACS)/Farmers Producer Organisations (FPC)s) by the State procuring agencies so that maximum farmers, can avail the benefit of  price support  operatrons.

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