Govt may procure 32 mn tonne rice in 2010-11

Food Corporation of India (FCI) today said that rice procurement may reach 32 million tonnes in 2010-11 marketing year starting October this year, beating the target of 31 million tonnes.

The government may purchase 32 million tonnes of paddy from farmers in the current marketing year, FCI Chairman and Managing Director Siraj Hussain told reporters.

The government had procured 31.47 million tonnes of rice in 2009-10 marketing year (October-September).

The FCI CMD noted that drought in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar would not hamper the level of procurement.

According to the first advance estimate released by the ministry last month, rice production was projected to rise to 80.41 million tonnes in Kharif season of 2010-11 crop year (July-June) against 75.91 million tonnes in the last Kharif.

Overall, the production is estimated to touch 95 million tonnes in 2010-11 crop year against 89.13 million tonnes in the previous year.

India, the world's second largest rice producer, had produced a record 99.18 million tonnes of rice in 2008-09.