Thanks to bumper production and higher remunerative price, the wheat procurement by Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state government agencies for the current rabi market season has virtually come to an end with the corporation lifting a record 25.12 million tonne of grains till Tuesday.
Last year, FCI had procured 22.6 million tonne of wheat. The corporation official said the procurement at present is going on only in Bihar, which is expected to be completed over the next few days.
Amidst the reports about the deficient rainfall in northern India, the record procurement is a comforting news for the government as it not only has enough buffer stocks for contingency but also has stocks for the sale of subsidised foodgrains to poor families which UPA government plans to launch.
Out of total wheat procurement close to 70% of the contribution have been from Punjab and Haryana. Punjab and and Haryana have contributed a record 10.7 million tonne and 6.9 million tonne, respectively to the FCI procurement drive. In Uttar Pradesh, FCI has purchased 3.8 million tonne of wheat while in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the state agency has lifted 1.9 million and 1.1 million tonne respectively. During 2006-07 and 2007-08, the government had procured only 9.2 million tonne and 11.1 million tonne respectively, which eventually forced the government to import wheat.