Govt Eases Wheat Purchase Quality Standards in Punjab

According to the sources, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has informed the Punjab government that it will acquire all grains entering the market, subject to a price decrease ranging from Rs 5.31 to Rs 31.87 per quintal.

The Punjab administration had been begging all along for the standards for wheat procurement to be modified without imposing any price cuts.

The biggest issue with wheat grain is lustre loss caused by late March rains and high-velocity winds that raced through the state at the end of March. Crops on 14.57 lakh hectares had been harmed due to weather fluctuations. The grains have gone black wherever fields are still flooded.

The grains have become white in areas where lodging has been detected. 81,519 quintals of grains had arrived at the mandis as of last night, but only 18 percent had been purchased since lowered requirements had not been published.

GoI has stated that if lustre is lost by up to 10%, no value cut in MSP will be enforced. In the event of a lustre loss of 10% to 80%, a price drop of Rs 5.31 per quintal was declared. According to field data from Punjab, lustre loss ranges between 35 and 80 percent. Similarly, no value cut has been imposed for grain damage of up to 6%.

However, for shrivelled and broken grains of up to 8%, a value reduction of Rs 5.31 per quintal has been applied. Rs 10.62 has been imposed on 8-10% shrivelled and cracked grains. A value cut of Rs 26.66 per quintal has been imposed on 15-16% shrivelled and broken grains, and a value cut of Rs 31.87 per quintal has been imposed on 16-18% shrivelled and broken grains. 

According to field estimates, the percentage of shrivelled and damaged grains in Punjab is 15-16%. The state has been ordered to keep these grains separately and has been advised that any deterioration in the quality of these grains purchased during storage will be the state's responsibility.