Image Source: AGENCIES

The Government of India has allowed the purchase of wheat from Punjab by relaxing the prescribed quality norms for procurement, but a value cut on the purchase of such grains has been imposed. According to information available with The Tribune, the Union of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has conveyed to the Punjab government that they will purchase all grains coming to the market, though a value cut ranging from Rs 5.31- Rs 31.87 per quintal has been imposed. The Punjab government had all along been pleading that the specifications for wheat procurement be relaxed without imposing any value cut. The main problem in the wheat grain is the lustre loss because of the untimely rains in March and the high-velocity winds that swept through the state in the end of March. The crop on a 14.57 lakh hectare area had been affected because of the vagaries of weather. Wherever fields are still inundated, the grains have turned black. At places, where the lodging was reported, the grains have turned white. Till last night, 81,519 quintals of grains had arrived in the mandis, but only 18 percent were purchased as relaxed specifications were not announced. Documents available with The Tribune show that the GoI has said that in case of lustre loss of upto 10 percent, no value cut in MSP will be imposed. In case of lustre loss between 10-80 per cent, a value cut of Rs 5.31 per quintal had been announced. The field reports in Punjab suggest that lustre loss is 35-80 percent. Similarly, for damage of upto 6 per cent in grains, no value cut has been imposed. But for shrivelled and broken grains of upto 6-8 per cent, a value cut of Rs 5.31 per quintal has been imposed. For shrivelled and broken grains of 8-10 per cent, Rs 10.62 has been imposed. For shrivelled and broken grains of 15-16 percent, a value cut of Rs 26.66 per quintal has been imposed and for 16-18 per cent value cut of Rs 31.87 per quintal has been imposed. Field reports suggest that the extent of shrivelled and damaged grains in Punjab is 15-16 per cent. The state has been asked to store these grains separately and has been told that any deterioration in the quality of these grains purchased during storage will be the responsibility of the state government.