The CentRE has relaxed the required quality standards for procurement up to 18% instead of the previous limit of 6%, allowing the purchase of wheat from Punjab and Haryana. It has, however, reduced the price at which grain can be purchased. The Union Ministry of Food and Public Distribution stated in a letter to the Secretary, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department, that the limit of shriveled and broken grain is being relaxed up to 18% under uniform specifications with a one-fourth value cut for every additional relaxation of 2% or part thereof. However, the Centre has imposed a value reduction per quintal that ranges from Rs 5.31 to Rs 31.87. Shriveled and broken grains with a value reduction of up to 6 to 8 percent and up to 8 to 10 percent with a value reduction of up to 10.62 rupees per quintal have been imposed. The additional chief secretary of the Haryana Department of Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs has received a letter in a similar format. The issue with wheat is that the lustre has been lost as a result of the untimely rains in March and the strong winds that blew through these states at the end of March. The grains have turned black wherever fields are still flooded, and white wherever lodging has been reported.
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