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The procurement of wheat in Punjab will begin from April 10 with an estimate to procure 130 lakh metric tonnes, state Food and Civil Supply Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said on Thursday.

Procurement agencies, including the Food Corporation of India (FCI), would procure it on the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,975 per quintal.

The Minister said the state has increased procurement centres from 1,872 to 4,000 to check the spread of coronavirus.

As per the directions of the Union government, he said, instructions have been issued regarding blue colour stamping of the wheat sacks to be sewn with blue thread.

The minister said in view of the pandemic, the government took the decision to delay the procurement by 10 days and it would continue till May 31.

The payments regarding the wheat procured in the last Rabi season would be made through the online mode via Anaaj Kharid Portal.