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Slow paddy arrival witnessed in Punjab’s south Malwa districts barring Bathinda, Moga
Official sources said that the arrival of paddy in the mandi is a direct indicator of the crop harvesting trend and this year, several districts are reporting slower arrivals.
Most South Malwa districts are witnessing 16% to 27% slower arrival of paddy than the previous kharif marketing season in the mandis.
On the contrary, as per information gathered from the field officials, Bathinda reported 30% higher arrival till October 28 than in 2023 while Moga also witnessed a surge of 20% in the paddy arrival trend to date.
Official sources said that the arrival of paddy in the mandi is a direct indicator of the crop harvesting trend and this year, several districts are reporting slower arrivals.
Experts attribute the delayed arrival to the glut-like situation of paddy in mandis that is making farmers delay harvesting.
According to officials, state-wide data of paddy procurement operations including arrival, purchase, unsold and lifting is available only with the Punjab mandi board secretary.
Newly appointed secretary of the board Ramvir did not respond to phone calls and text messages made to find out about data of the ongoing paddy procurement operations.
Meanwhile, as per the information collected from the official sources, the seven districts of the region recorded an arrival of nearly 20 lakh tonnes of non-basmati rice till October 28.
Muktsar is witnessing the slowest arrival in the semi-arid region of southwest Punjab where arrivals were slower by 27% than last year.
Till October 28, a total of 2.62 lakh tonne paddy arrived whereas in the corresponding period last season, Muktsar recorded 3.60 lakh tonnes of paddy.
Similarly, Faridkot has also witnessed a drop of 25% than the last season.
In the region, Ferozepur recorded the highest arrival of 5.23 lakh tonnes till October 28 whereas in the corresponding period farmers had brought 6.23 lakh tonnes.
Mansa district has also witnessed arrivals slower by 18% than the previous kharif season. Against the arrival of 2.44 lakh tonne till October 28 last year, the district has registered 2 lakh tonne arrival in different mandis of the district.
Muktsar district mandi officer Ajaypal Brar said that a marginally slower rate of arrival than last year is witnessed due to delayed sowing.
“The moisture content in the crop which has arrived in the mandis till October 24 was 17% to18% which is higher than the optimum moisture level indicating that crop is not fully matured for harvesting. Against the conventional procurement till November 5, we estimate that it may be extended till November 10,” he said.
Bathinda deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray said the district has a traditional trend where sowing and harvesting is delayed as compared to all other districts.
“Due to multiple seed preferences, harvesting here is always delayed in comparison to the rest of the state. Past trend says that wheat sowing in Bathinda goes up to November 25 to 30. We have made elaborate arrangements for smooth operations and nearly 165 rice millers have already been roped in. Average peak lifting in the district remains at 40,000 tonnes per day and different agencies are already lifting 30,000 tonnes. We will reach the peak in the next couple of days,” added Parray.
