CM Mann Demands Urgent Lifting of Wheat and Rice from Punjab
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann writes to Union Minister seeking urgent movement of 15 LMT wheat and 6 LMT rice to prevent storage crisis and farmer unrest.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued an urgent appeal to the Union Government to facilitate the immediate movement of massive foodgrain stocks out of the state. In a formal letter addressed to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, the Chief Minister highlighted a looming storage crisis that threatens to disrupt the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2026-27.
The state is currently grappling with a severe shortage of storage space, with significant quantities of wheat and rice occupying vital areas in rice mills and mandi yards. To prevent a complete standstill in procurement, Mann has requested the Centre to ensure the movement of 6 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice between October 1 and October 10, followed by the lifting of 15 LMT of wheat during the month of October 2026.
A Growing Storage Bottleneck
The demand for rapid movement comes as previous requests for grain lifting have seen limited success. While the state had requested the movement of 15 LMT of rice and 10–12 LMT of wheat in September, the actual outflow was significantly lower. According to official records cited in the letter, only 8.30 LMT of rice and 4.30 LMT of wheat were moved out of Punjab between September 1 and September 29.
This delay has created a ripple effect across the state's agricultural logistics:
- Custom Milled Rice (CMR) Delays: Due to persistent space shortages at the Food Corporation of India (FCI), only 94 per cent (99.50 LMT) of the CMR for KMS 2025-26 has been delivered, leaving nearly 6 LMT of rice pending.
- Mandi and Mill Congestion: Approximately 17 LMT of wheat procured during RMS 2026-27 is still lying in rice mills and mandi yards, despite earlier assurances that it would be moved by mid-October.
- Paddy Arrival Pressure: With peak paddy arrivals expected around October 10, the lack of space poses a direct threat to the procurement of the new crop.
Risk of Unrest Among Farmers and Millers
Chief Minister Mann warned that the situation is not merely a logistical hurdle but a potential trigger for social instability. The backlog is already causing significant tension among rice millers, who are facing delays in milling and delivery processes.
"Delay in milling is already causing unrest amongst the millers and if the delivery of rice goes beyond mid-October, the rice millers may not come forward for storage & milling of paddy," the Chief Minister stated in his letter. He further cautioned that such a scenario could lead to widespread unrest among other key stakeholders, most notably the farmers.
The state government has been consistently requesting the movement of at least 10 LMT of both wheat and rice every month since June 2026. Mann emphasized that the immediate intervention of the Department of Food & Public Distribution and the FCI headquarters is essential to ensure smooth procurement operations and to avoid any "untoward/law & order situation" in Punjab.