New Delhi: The government on Thursday said that wheat procurement has reached 195 lakh tonnes so far in this marketing year that started in April, surpassing the total purchase made during the previous year. "The procurement of wheat during RMS (rabi marketing season) 2023-24 has already surpassed the total procurement of RMS 2022-23," an official statement said.
Rabi marketing season runs from April-March, but bulk of purchases happen between April and June. "In RMS 2022-23, the procurement was 188 lakh tonnes. However, till April 26th, 2023, wheat procurement during RMS 2023-24 is 195 lakh tonnes. "This has largely benefitted the farmers. MSP (minimum support price) outflow of about Rs 41,148 crore has already been made to about 14.96 lakh farmers during the ongoing wheat procurement operations," the statement said.
Major contribution in the procurement comes from three wheat producing states of Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh with procurement of 89.79 lakh tonnes, 54.26 lakh tonnes and 49.47 lakh tonnes, respectively. "One of the major factors, contributing the progressive procurement this year, is the grant of relaxation by GOI in quality specifications of wheat being procured, in view of untimely rains leading to luster loss. This will reduce the hardship of farmers and check any distress sale," the statement said.
The central government has also allowed all the states to open procurement centres at village/ panchayat level and to carry out the procurement through co-operative Societies/ Gram Panchayats/ Arhatias etc. also in addition to already existing designated procurement centres, for better outreach.
In addition, rice procurement is also progressing smoothly. A quantity of 354 lakh tonnes of rice has been procured till April 26, 2023 during kharif crop of 2022-23 kharif marketing season, with another 140 lakh tonnes yet to be procured. Further, a quantity of 106 lakh tonnes rice has been estimated to be procured during the rabi crop of KMS 2022-23. Kharif marketing season runs from October to September.
"The combined stock position of wheat and rice in the Central Pool, has surpassed 510 lakh tonnes which puts the country in a comfortable position to meet its requirements of food grains. With the ongoing procurement of wheat and rice, the food grains stock levels are on rise in Government granaries," the food ministry said. (PTI)
