Agrarian states Punjab and Haryana have procured over 215.65 lakh tonne of paddy this kharif season, food and supplies officials said on Wednesday. Punjab alone has procured over 150.37 lakh tonne of paddy till Tuesday evening, a Punjab government spokesman said. Out of this 149.44 lakh tonne has been procured by government agencies while 92,854 tonne has been procured by private millers. Payment of nearly Rs 23,000 crore has already been released by the Punjab government to arhtiyas (commission agents) and farmers.

In neighbouring Haryana, over 65.28 lakh tonne of paddy has procured this Kharif season. Out of this, government agencies have procured over 57.31 lakh tonne, private millers have procured over 7.97 lakh tonne.