Chandigarh, June 25 -- Foodgrain storage godowns in Punjab are currently choked to the brim with 150 lakh tonnes of rice remaining from the previous three seasons. Also, 54 lakh tonnes of paddy temporarily kept in mills is waiting to be shelled, which will add an additional 36 lakh tonnes of rice, worsening the severe storage crisis in the state.

Once the paddy is shelled, it will create a massive stockpile of 186 lakh tonnes. Combined with over 140 lakh tonnes of wheat from the last three seasons, these huge food reserves are taking up space. Some of this harvest is stored poorly.

With 326 lakh tonnes of foodgrains heading for state godowns, Punjab has completely run out of storage space. State food and civil supplies officials are now...