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Joint teams on job to overcome wheat smuggling challenge
200 roller mills, flour mills and private godowns are to be stopped from bringing wheat from other states, especially during procurement. Stock from outside Punjab is purchased between ₹1,500 and ₹1,600 a quintal, and gets sold in Punjab at MSP of ₹1,975 a quintal, earning undeserved profit
Punjab is facing challenges in checking wheat transportation into its border through other states. Joint teams of police, vigilance wing of the state food department and mandi board are keeping watch on 200 roller mills, flour mills and private godowns to stop them from bringing wheat from other states, especially during procurement.
“We get cheaper wheat from states outside Punjab and stock keeps coming in throughout the year, because we cannot store in huge quantity. Now, our stocks are stuck at inter-state borders. My request to the government is to release our stocks, which have been held at borders. Otherwise, we would incur losses,” said Naresh Ghai, president, an association of roller flour mills. Privately-run flour mills process at least 12 lakh tonne of wheat a year.
“We have asked them (traders) to bring their raw material (wheat) after procurement gets over in Punjab by the middle of May,” said an officer of the state food department, adding that there were unconfirmed reports that wheat stock bought from outside, at lower cost, is mixed with freshly harvested wheat for more profit.
These stocks from outside the state are purchased between ₹1,500 and ₹1,600 a quintal, and get sold in Punjab at a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹1,975 a quintal, earning profit of over ₹300 a quintal.
The officer adds the practise of bringing wheat and paddy stocks from outside states started a few years ago, especially when the MSP witnessed a sharp rise. In states other than Punjab and Haryana, foodgrain is procured from the local farmer at a cheaper price.
Last week, the food department seized huge stock of wheat from three godowns in Bathinda, Ferozpur and Barnala registered forgery cases against the owners of the godowns. This was after they could not give a convincing reason for the presence of 37,000 bags of wheat from other states in their godowns.
Traders buy wheat stock from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Surveillance teams have increased checks on inter-state border. According to assistant director general of police (ADGP) for provisioning Naresh Arora, joint teams are stationed at entry points from other states.
There are a large number of private godowns, where movement of wheat stocks is monitored regularly. “We don’t have the exact number of such godowns. There are a large number of traders in the state, who keep personal stocks. We are verifying stocks in these godowns also,” added an officer in food department.
Rakesh Singla, deputy director, Punjab food department who heads the vigilance wing, said checks were on across the state. Principal secretary, food and civil supplies, has written to all district chiefs in his department to check transportation of wheat stock.
5.12 lakh tonne wheat procured on Day 5
Government agencies on Wednesday procured 5.12 lakh tonne of wheat in the state on the fifth day of procurement. A spokesperson said Pungrain procured around 1.35 lakh tonne, Markfed; 1.18 lakh tonne; Punsup 1.32 tonne and Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 70,873 tonne. The central agency, FCI has procured 19,913 tonne of wheat.
