Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said on Sunday that procurement of wheat variety HD 2967 was going on smoothly throughout the state.
He termed news reports about HD 2967 wheat variety not being purchased in Malwa belt as baseless. Ashu said this variety was being cultivated by farmers for many years and it had also been approved by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. He maintained that every procurement agency was procuring this variety.
The food supplies minister made it clear that the (Fci) had not refused to procure any wheat variety. According to him, 750 quintals of HD 2967 wheat variety was purchased at Dhammu (Mansa) mandi on April 16 and 4,500 quintals was purchased in this centre on April 17. Ashu reiterated the commitment of the State Government to purchase farmers entire produce.