Food Minister Prahlad Joshi stated on Tuesday that he will discuss the potential impact of the delayed paddy procurement in Punjab on wheat sowing with the Agriculture Minister. He reassured farmers that the government would purchase every single grain brought to the mandis (markets). Amid growing concerns about farmers burning straw to clear fields before wheat sowing in mid-November due to the delay, Joshi emphasized that procurement remains the top priority. Speaking on the launch of the second phase of subsidized wheat flour and rice under the Bharat Brand, Joshi told reporters, "Our immediate priority is procurement." He added, "The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for both straw burning and wheat sowing." However, both ministries are coordinating to address this issue. Joshi further assured, "We are looking into that aspect as well, but procurement remains our priority. My main concern is that farmers should not be worried at this time." When asked if the delay in wheat sowing could affect production, Joshi said, "I don’t have detailed information at this moment, but I will meet the Agriculture Minister in the next two or three days. This is a matter of concern for me too, as we distribute wheat through the Public Distribution System (PDS)." On paddy procurement, Joshi said that progress had been made, with a record 6.29 lakh tons of paddy being procured on November 4th alone, compared to 5.34 lakh tons in the same period last year. He reported that total procurement so far had reached 98.42 lakh tons, compared to 119 lakh tons last year, with a shortfall of 20-28 lakh tons due to heavy rains. Joshi reiterated the government's commitment to the target of procuring 184 lakh tons of paddy for the 2024-25 marketing season. "We will purchase every grain brought to the mandis by farmers," he assured. The government is currently purchasing "A" grade paddy at the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,320 per quintal. Additionally, the government has already transferred ₹20.557 crore to 5.38 lakh farmers through direct benefit transfers (DBT) under MSP payments.