FCI sets 26.3 mt wheat procurement target

Expecting bumper wheat production in most states, government agencies are targeting procurement of 26.3 million tonnes (mt) of the foodgrain against the 22.5 mt collected last year.

Senior Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials said the early comparative figures may vary due to various reasons but they expect to achieve the target comfortably.

Of the 26.3 mt, a substantial 21.2 mt is estimated to be lifted from Punjab (10.7 mt), Haryana (6.5 mt) and Uttar Pradesh (4 mt). Punjab and Haryana, which contribute close to 70 per cent to the national pool of wheat, are likely to increase their contribution this year.

Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh were the first to start the process by March-end followed by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. In Punjab, wheat procurement was supposed to start on April 1 but there will be a delay following late arrivals.

Over the past week, agencies have purchased 434,000 tonnes of wheat from centres across India under the decentralised procurement scheme, against the 763,000 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.

Punjab, which had contributed 10.2 mt to the central pool last year, is expected to make an additional contribution of 500,000 tonnes. Haryana is expected to add 200,000 tonnes more to the national pool over last year’s 6.3 million tonnes to 6.5 million tonnes.

But the most significant improvement in wheat production was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh with a 250 per cent increase over last year’s output — from 1.6 mt in 2009-10 to 4 mt this year. According to sources, wheat acreage has also seen an increase of 5-10 per cent in the state. The timely availability of quality seed and favourable weather helped the UP farmers with better yield.

The latest FCI data shows that agencies have already procured 432,000 tonnes (Madhya Pradesh), 2,500 tonnes (Gujarat), 82 tonnes (Haryana) and 140 tonnes (Uttar Pradesh). Procurement in Rajasthan and Bihar will start in the second half of April.