Procurement is progressing in three states namely Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. But in Tamil Nadu, which does not contribute to the central pool, market arrivals of Kuruvai paddy have begun, though at a lower pace when compared with the previous year.

Though the start of procurement in the current season began earlier by a fortnight (September 15), estimates of the season's procurement available with the union food ministry show that till October 8, only 848,219 tonne rice has been marketed by the central pool as against 1,142,754 tonne in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The procurement of rice was 15 days ahead of schedule on expectations of early crop arrivals and the forecast of thegovernment of a `bumper' crop this season. The government had also expected better procurement due to announcement of `remunerative' prices.

But hopes of the government seem to have been belied despite a larger area coverage under kharif crops this year due to immense damage done to the crops by floods, cyclone, heavy rains, landslides and drought. The total rice procurement by the central pool in the season may not touch the previous year's level at 14,308,481 tonnes.

The extent of damage can easily be assessed as the government revised the estimate of total kharif foodgrains output to 101.03 million tonnes from the earlier estimate of 107.10 million tonnes. The estimate of rice production was also revised to 70.75 million tonnes from the earlier 73.20 million tonnes. According to conservative estimates of the government over 34.59 lakh hectare of crop area was affected by heavy rains, floods, cyclone and landslides.

The area coverage under rice declined in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh due to drought in afew areas. However, the total area coverage under rice in the country in the current season is reported to be 35.54 million hectare covering 90.33 per cent of the total rice area as against 35.10 million hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year. Transplanting of paddy is also reported to be in progress in southern states.

In the current season, the market arrivals of paddy in the mandis of Punjab till October 8, was 2,936,860 tonnes as against 2,697,206 tonnes in the corresponding period in the previous year. Per day increase in market arrivals of paddy till October 8, in the mandis of Punjab in the current season is 339,389 tonnes as against 288,400 in the previous year.

Similarly, the market arrivals of paddy in the current season till October 8 in mandis of Haryana increased to 231,214 tonnes as against 177,337 tonnes in the corresponding period in the previous year. Per day increase in market arrivals of paddy in Haryana mandis is 42,148 tonnes as against 14,891 tonnes in thecorresponding period in the previous year.

Though the procurement by the central pool is at low ebb, the millers and dealers have increased their procurement over the previous year. Till October 8, the millers and dealers in Punjab have procured 1,700,277 tonnes of paddy as against 1,033,329 tonnes in the corresponding period in the previous year.

Per day increase in procurement by millers and dealers in Punjab is 120,716 tonnes as against 83,851 tonnes in the corresponding period in the previous year.

Similarly in Haryana, the millers and dealers till October 8, has procured 226,874 tonnes of paddy as against 176,388 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. Per day increase in procurement by millers and dealers in Haryana is 40,663 tonnes as against 15,036 tonnes of the corresponding period in the previous year.

In Andhra Pradesh, the millers and dealers have procured the total of the market arrivals of paddy at 30,869 tonnes at the rate of 545 tonnes increase per day. Out of thetotal amount of 848,219 tonnes in terms of rice procured by the central pool, FCI has procured 20,950 tonnes in Andhra Pradesh alone and 586,870 tonnes in total. The state governments of Haryana and Punjab have procured 86,591 tonnes of paddy on behalf of the central pool. CSC, Punjab has procured 170,537 tonnes of paddy and the cooperatives in Punjab and Haryana have procured 172,015 tonnes. The state warehousing corporations in Punjab and Haryana have procured 195,137 tonnes on behalf of the central pool.

The agro-industries in Punjab and Haryana have procured 29,753 tonne of paddy. On the whole 1,240,903 tonnes of paddy has been procured on behalf of the central pool.

In Andhra Pradesh, the central pool has procured only 20,950 tonnes of rice till October 8 as against 32,513 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. Increase per day in procurement by the central pool in Andhra Pradesh in the current season is only 2,587 tonnes as compared with 10,585 tonnes in the corresponding period ofthe previous year.

In Punjab, the central pool has procured 1,236,583 tonnes of paddy as against 1,663,877 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year. In Tamil Nadu, market arrivals of kuruvai paddy is low this season at 947 tonne as against 330,544 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.