Chandigarh, Dec 2 (IANS): Punjab and Haryana have procured nearly 249 lakh tonnes of paddy so far, officials from the Food and Supplies Department said here on Saturday.

Punjab has procured nearly 179 lakh tonnes of paddy while neighbouring Haryana saw an arrival of 70.5 lakh tonnes of paddy, which is the highest ever.

Government agencies have procured 98.5 per cent of the paddy arriving in the grain markets in Punjab.

The Reserve Bank of India had sanctioned over Rs 33,800 crore for paddy procurement in Punjab in this kharif season. Nearly Rs 30,000 crore worth of payments have been made to farmers and Arhtiyas (commission agents).

In Haryana, the paddy procured was much higher than the 69.56 lakh tonnes paddy procured in the corresponding period last year.

"It has happened for the first time. Since the inception of Haryana in 1966, the state has logged an all-time high in paddy arrivals and procurement up to November 30, 2017. Figures for both exceed those ever recorded during any procurement season in the history of the state," a Haryana government spokesman said here.

The state procurement agencies procured more than 58.96 lakh tonnes of paddy up to November 30, compared to 53.47 lakh tonnes mopped up during the entire paddy season last year, Haryana's Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Karan Dev Kamboj said.

The procurement last year was also an all-time high, the spokesman said.

Punjab saw a record procurement of 168 lakh tonnes following a bumper crop last year.

The procurement began in both states on October 1. Paddy procurement season ends on December 15.