Chandigarh, Nov. 12 -- With the cumulative paddy arrival crossing the 177-lakh-tonne (LT) mark on Wednesday against the central government's procurement target of 180 LT, the Punjab government has decided to seek an increase in the target up to 200 LT. As freshly harvested paddy arrivals continue at 3-4 LT daily, the state government fears the existing target will be inadequate.

The chief minister, who chaired a meeting in Chandigarh with top officials from the state food and civil supplies and agriculture departments, will take up the matter with the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, the state government said.

Even as the state has shut mandis in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Kapurthala and...