MOHALI, Oct. 14 -- Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday said that central teams will soon visit Punjab mandis to assess the impact of recent rains on paddy grains.

During his visit to the Kharar grain market, the minister expressed satisfaction over the ongoing procurement operations and lauded the efforts of farmers, agencies and officials ensuring smooth purchase despite challenging weather conditions.

"Punjab has so far recorded the arrival of 18 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy, of which 17 LMT has already been procured. Also, payments amounting to Rs.3,215 crore have been released to farmers against the procured paddy. The state government already has a cash credit limit (CCL) of...