The staff of Punjab's four procurement agencies have suspended wheat purchases due to allegations of political pressure to procure freshly harvested wheat that fails to meet quality standards. The coordination committee representing various procurement agencies, including the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and Markfed, stated that the moisture content in the wheat exceeds the permissible limit of 12%, reaching up to 22%. This situation has arisen following unseasonal rains that compromised the crop quality. In response, the state government has called a meeting with district food and civil supplies controllers to address these procurement challenges. Central teams from the Union Ministry of Food and Public Distribution are currently in Punjab to analyze crop quality, having already visited districts such as Mohali and Patiala to collect samples. Food and Civil Supplies Principal Secretary Arshdeep Thind assured that all issues will be resolved and that procurement will adhere to the established specifications.