Punjab Runs Short of Space for New Paddy as Old Rice and Wheat Fill Godownsਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਚੌਲ ਅਤੇ ਕਣਕ ਨਾਲ ਗੋਦਾਮ ਭਰੇ, ਪੰਜਾਬ ਕੋਲ ਨਵੇਂ ਝੋਨੇ ਲਈ ਥਾਂ ਦੀ ਕਮੀ

Punjab's mandis are filling with fresh paddy while last season's grain is still sitting in its mills, godowns and market yards, leaving the state short of space for the new crop.

Paddy procurement began on October 1. Hindustan Times reported that about 3.83 lakh tonnes had reached mandis by Sunday, with daily arrivals expected to peak at up to 11 lakh tonnes within a week.

How big is the storage problem?

The Indian Express reported that around 6 lakh tonnes of rice from the previous crop is still waiting to be delivered by mills, while 17 lakh tonnes of wheat from the last rabi season still occupies rice mills and mandi yards.

Punjab has roughly 175 lakh tonnes of covered storage plus 75 lakh tonnes of open plinth space, the paper said. Plinth storage is mainly used for wheat, and rice cannot be kept there the same way. Hindustan Times put the state's warehouse capacity at 180 lakh tonnes and described it as full.

Why is grain not moving out?

The Centre has extended the deadline for delivering rice from the 2025-26 crop to November 30, so two procurement cycles now overlap. Punjab is targeting 180 lakh tonnes of paddy this year against 156 lakh tonnes last year, according to the Indian Express.

Officials told the paper that grain is leaving Punjab at 11 to 12 lakh tonnes a month, while about 17 lakh tonnes a month would need to move to clear the stock by June 30. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has asked the Centre to move grain out of the state and warned of possible law and order problems, the paper added.

What are godown owners and millers saying?

Hindustan Times reported that the Private Entrepreneurs Godown Association, whose members hold about 35 lakh tonnes of capacity, has asked Pungrain to either renew expired storage agreements or let them take their godowns back. It gave the department 30 days to decide and said rent has not been paid according to the grain stored.

A senior food and civil supplies official told the paper that inspections and overdue rent would be cleared within a week and that rehiring would be finalised soon.

Hindustan Times said the Centre's own movement of stock is the key: only 24,600 tonnes of the paddy that had arrived by Sunday had been lifted.

What happens next?

The pressure rises as arrivals peak this month. Officials quoted by the Indian Express say faster movement of rice and wheat to storage outside Punjab, including in states with cheaper land such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is the practical answer.

Why is Punjab short of space for new paddy?

Last season's rice and wheat have not been fully moved out, so mills, godowns and mandi yards are still occupied as fresh paddy arrives.

How much old grain is still stuck in Punjab?

The Indian Express reported about 6 lakh tonnes of old rice pending delivery and 17 lakh tonnes of wheat still in mills and yards.

When will the rush of paddy arrivals peak?

Hindustan Times said daily arrivals could reach up to 11 lakh tonnes within a week of October 4, following earlier years' trends.