Markfed begins purchase of 300 tonnes of potatoes for mid-day meal scheme
Thursday, 27/07/2017
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=178863&boxid=58973&uid=&dat=2017-07-27
Jalandhar : Following Punjab government order to purchase potatoes from potato growers for mid-day meal scheme, a team of Markfed officials on Wednesday started the process to purchase 300 tonnes of potatoes directly from the potato growers from Jalandhar.
A team of Markfed led by Executive Director Markfed Bal Mukand Sharma visited the market on Wednesday morning to purchase potatoes from the cultivators directly.
The team purchased 141 quintal potatoes (66 quintal of Badshah variety and 75 quintal of Jyoti variety) worth around Rs 50,000 from the market. The team purchased 132 bags of Badshah variety at a rate of Rs 165 per bag whereas 150 bags of Jyoti variety were purchased at a rate of Rs 170 per bag.
Bal Mukand Sharma said that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed Markfed to immediately procure 300 tonnes of potatoes for mid-day meal in government schools and assist the distressed potato farmers of the state.
He said that the procurement process was done in consonance with the directives of the CM on `no profit no loss’ basis, so as to bail out the potato growers from the crisis of low prices of the commodity. Sharma said that the move was aimed at providing marketing support to potato growers in terms of remunerative prices and other facilities.
The Executive Director said that besides ensuring rich nourishment for the students being offered mid day meal in schools, this step would also boost the sale of potatoes in the state. He said that the agency would continue the purchase of this sale in coming days also.
Sharma was accompanied by District Manager Markfed Ramandeep Singh Minhas and Branch Manager Jagtar Singh.
