Punjab's paddy procurement running behind schedule due to heavy rains
Punjab's paddy procurement is running behind schedule this October, thanks to heavy rains earlier in the month.
By October 9, only about 1 million tons had been procured—way below the season's target of 17-18 million tons.
Even though the state kicked off procurement early on September 16 to avoid delays, things are moving slowly, and officials now expect the process to wrap up by late October or early November.
Transport, storage issues feared if arrivals spike suddenly
So far, 11.23 lakh metric tons of paddy have reached Punjab's mandis, with government agencies like PUNGRAIN and MARKFED handling almost all of it. Private traders have picked up just a tiny share.
Sangrur and Patiala are seeing the most action, while places like Moga and Barnala are quieter.
The state has already released over ₹2,000 crore to farmers, and officials are hoping things will pick up as harvesting peaks—but they're also keeping an eye out for possible storage and transport hiccups if arrivals suddenly spike.