Chandigarh, May 24 (IANS) Punjab has harvested a 20-year record bumper wheat crop this season with its production of 129.93 lakh tonnes, an official said on Friday.

During the current wheat procurement season, which started on April 1, the total wheat arrival and procurement has been the highest in the last 20 years, said a Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Department spokesperson said here.

A total of 129.93 lakh tonnes of wheat, which includes the 128.38 lakh tonne procurement by state agencies and the remaining by private traders, have been procured in the state.

More than Rs 20,013 crore has been released by the state procuring agencies till Thursday, the official said.

Wheat, which is the main rabi crop, is sown from late October to December, while its harvesting starts from April onwards.

--IANS vg/bc