Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Centre to urgently clear foodgrain stocks from the state before the peak arrival of paddy, stressing that adequate storage space must be ensured to facilitate smooth procurement and prevent any difficulties for farmers in mandis.In a letter to Union minister for food and public distribution Pralhad Joshi on Sept 29, Mann sought immediate movement of 6 LMT (lakh metric ton) rice by Oct 10 and 15 LMT wheat during Oct, pointing out that nearly 40 LMT wheat stocks are occupying space at rice mills and mandi yards, with around 17 LMT still lying there.Paddy procurement has officially begun in the state on Oct 1. Mann stressed that these stocks must be cleared to create adequate space for incoming paddy and ensure that farmers can bring their produce to mandis without facing storage-related hurdles.Mann reminded that Punjab had requested the movement of 15 LMT rice and 10-12 LMT wheat during Sept 2026 to complete the delivery of rice from Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26 and clear wheat stocks lying in rice mills and mandi yards before the start of Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27. “However, only 8.3 LMT rice and 4.3 LMT wheat has been moved out of the State from Sept 1 to 29,” he noted.He pointed out, “Due to persistent shortage of storage space with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), only 99.50 LMTs (94%) Custom Milled Rice of Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26 could be delivered till Sept 29, 2026, against the due quantity of 105.64 LMT and nearly 6 LMTs is still balance to be delivered.”Mann stated, “The peak arrivals of paddy are expected around Oct 10 2026 and delivery of all pending rice to FCI by then is of paramount importance so as to avoid carry over of balance paddy stocks in the next Kharif season and also to prevent complications in stock accounting and recycling of paddy/rice.”He added , “Delay in milling is already causing unrest among the millers and if the delivery of rice goes beyond mid-October, the rice millers may not come forward for storage & milling of paddy and such a scenario may result in unrest among other stakeholders also, especially farmers.”He said, “Though the State is making all out efforts to ensure timely completion of rice delivery, movement of 6 LMT rice stocks from Oct 1 to 10 is urgently required to achieve the same.”Mann further highlighted the severe shortage of wheat storage space, saying, “It is pertinent to mention here that due to shortage of space for storage of wheat in the State, nearly 40 LMT wheat stocks procured during RMS 2026-27 were stored at rice mills and mandi yards with the premise that these stocks would be moved by Sept/Oct mid 2026.”The chief minister said, “However, due to much slow pace of liquidation of wheat from the State from June to September 2026, nearly 17 LMT wheat of RMS 2026-27 is still lying in rice mills and mandi yards as on date.”He cautioned, “If these wheat stocks are not moved, as a natural consequence, it will prevent farmers from unloading their produce in mandis while there will not be enough space in the rice mills for storage of paddy, which would disrupt smooth procurement operations.”He further said, “Such a scenario may lead to a Law & Order situation in the State at the time of peak arrivals of paddy during Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27.”Mann said Punjab had repeatedly requested the Centre for adequate monthly movement of foodgrains, stating, “It is pertinent to mention here that State has been making repeated requests since June’26 to provide at least 10 LMT movement of wheat & rice every month, however, the actual movement of wheat and rice from June to September 2026 has only been as follows.”According to the figures included in the chief minister’s letter, the movement during June 2026 stood at 11.91 LMT, comprising 6.55 LMT rice and 5.36 LMT wheat. During July, the total movement was 11.60 LMT, comprising 6.70 LMT rice and 4.90 LMT wheat. In August, 12.72 LMT was moved, including 7.70 LMT rice and 5.02 LMT wheat, while during September up to September 29, the movement stood at 12.60 LMT, comprising 8.30 LMT rice and 4.30 LMT wheat.Mann said, “As such, the wheat stocks stored in rice mills & mandi yards are required to be urgently moved out during October 2026 so as to create space for procurement and storage of paddy during Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27.”He added, “The rice millers, on the pretext of space crunch in their premises, may not come forward for allotment/storage and milling of paddy of Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27.”
