Punjab has closed 2,306 wheat procurement centres after purchase in several districts surpassed this year’s targets.Now, only 577 wheat purchase centres or mandis are operational across the state. Of these, 564 are regular mandis and 13 are temporary notified market yards, according to official data. Wheat arrivals have slowed significantly.Data available with The Tribune shows that 121.65 lakh metric tonne (LMT) wheat has arrived in the mandis so far, while procurement has reached 120.89 LMT. Daily arrivals have dropped to 72,185.66 metric tonne (MT).The state government, before the erratic weather hit the state in March end-early April, had set a target of procuring 122 LMT of wheat this year. But post the rains and unusual heat in February shrinking the wheat grains, the state agencies predicted a fall in wheat yield, which meant that the target of wheat procurement would not be met. However, as wheat arrivals and procurement hit the same levels as last year, the central foodgrain procurement agency, Food Corporation of India (FCI) had expressed its concern, over alleged bogus billing of wheat.A key concern now is the slow lifting of procured wheat. Of the 120.89 LMT procured, only 74.77 LMT has been lifted so far.Ahead of the procurement season, the state had urged the Centre to directly move 22 LMT wheat as storage facilities were already full with last year’s stock. So far, only 3.50 LMT stock has been moved directly from the mandis.“Last year, during the corresponding period, 7.50 LMT wheat had been moved out from Punjab to recipient states. Compared to 20-25 trains ferrying grains daily last year, only 5-6 trains are operating now,” a senior Food and Supplies Department officer said.The state has again written to the Centre, urging faster lifting of wheat from mandis.