CHANDIGARH: Wheat grain across Punjab has shrivelled by 10 to 20 per cent, the central teams that were in the state to assess the extent of the problem have said in their report submitted to the Union government.
The central teams had taken samples from mandis across the state and got them lab-tested, which confirmed the problem of shrivelling of grain because of early onset of heat wave this year. The Centre will now take a call on relaxing procurement norms for wheat farmers from Punjab. Grains shrivelled up to a maximum of six per cent are allowed for procurement, as per the central government’s specifications.
Highly placed sources in the Food Corporation of India and Punjab government said five central teams visited various grain markets in all the districts and took 20 samples which were sent to labs within the state. “In some districts, the grain has shrivelled by 10 per while in a few others districts, it’s more than 20 per cent,” said a senior official.
Farmers in the state have sought compensation from the central and the state governments saying they are staring at huge losses. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann exhorted farmers to go for diversification of crops.