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Central team to inspect Ludhiana grain markets today, wheat arrival below normal
According to official data, the district has so far recorded only 0.44% wheat arrival, while Ludhiana West has seen just 0.19% inflow, reflecting the impact of the recent rain spell
A team from the food public distribution department, New Delhi, will visit Ludhiana on Tuesday to inspect select grain markets and field pockets, as unseasonal rain has delayed harvesting and left the freshly cut wheat crop moisture-laden, slowing the district’s procurement cycle at a crucial stage.
The visit comes as wheat arrivals in Ludhiana remain far below the normal pace despite procurement having commenced on April 1. Officials attribute the sluggish inflow to wet fields, delayed threshing operations and grain moisture levels exceeding procurement norms.
According to official data, the district has so far recorded only 0.44% wheat arrival, while Ludhiana West has seen just 0.19% inflow, reflecting the impact of the recent rain spell. As per the usual harvesting pattern, the Khanna-Rajpura belt receives the earliest arrivals, and initial movement this season has also begun from that side.
Arrivals remain limited to a small number of mandis. In the East zone, wheat has reached only 14 of 40 mandis, while in the West zone, just 12 of 69 mandis have reported arrivals so far, leaving a majority of grain markets still awaiting the main harvest push.
Officials said excess moisture in the harvested crop remains the primary challenge. As moisture-hit wheat cannot be sold immediately, farmers are being advised to dry the produce for two to three days before bringing it to mandis, further delaying arrivals.
The central team is expected to inspect only those mandis where fresh arrivals have begun and will also undertake selective field visits to assess the extent of rain impact and evaluate whether the crop meets Fair Average Quality (FAQ) and prescribed moisture specifications. The assessment is likely to determine whether procurement can scale up or if any relaxation in norms may be required.
The route plan prepared for the team includes grain markets at Khanna, Rahaun, Samrala, Machhiwara and Jagraon, where arrivals have either started or are expected to pick up first.
District food supplies controller (Ludhiana West) Sartaj Singh Cheema said the administration is prepared to scale up procurement once weather conditions stabilise and the grain meets prescribed standards. He said the team’s inspection would help assess moisture levels and field conditions before procurement gathers pace.
The government is procuring wheat at the minimum support price of ₹2,585 per quintal, and officials said payments are being cleared within 48 hours of procurement.
Ludhiana is expected to procure around 8 lakh metric tonnes of wheat this season.
