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Rabi crop procurement in Punjab,
Haryana to cross target
WSN Network
CHANDIGARH:
Rabi crop
procurement for the ongoing season towards the Central pool in
Punjab and Haryana has surpassed last year’s purchase, raising hopes
that the wheat collection this year is likely to cross the target of
125 lakh tons from both the states. Wheat procurement in
Punjab and
Haryana has reached 69.67 lakh MT and 40.28 lakh MT respectively
till Sunday evening, against 67.80 lakh metric tons (MT) and 33.50
lakh MT in 2007-08.
The way the
wheat is still arriving in grain markets of both the states, the
total lifting of the crop may touch 90 lakh tons from Punjab and 50
lakh tons from Haryana.
Before the
commencement of wheat lifting season 2008-09, the Centre had fixed
the target of procuring 85 lakh tons of wheat from Punjab and 40
lakh tons from Haryana. Experts attributed the astronomical jump in
wheat arrival in grain markets in these states to bumper production
due to prolonged cold conditions and increase in area under
cultivation due to higher MSP.
Significantly,
the state owned agencies in
Punjab
have been the major buyers of the crop as they
have lifted about 98 per cent of total arrival from the markets.
30
April 2008
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