The government may reduce its wheat procurement target from 162 lakh tonne in the rabi marketing season due to unfavourable weather conditions. | |
| It is also preparing a contingency plan to address a possible rise in milk prices in the coming months. |
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| The high powered price monitoring board, chaired by cabinet secretary BK Chaturvedi, has accordingly issued directions for necessary steps to be taken to ensure procurement on a larger scale in the coming marketing season, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. It has also issued instructions to the animal husbandry department for a milk contingency plan. |
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| Meanwhile, the first tranche of imported wheat is expected to arrive by April 8 or 9. The government had last month awarded a tender for the import of five lakh tonne wheat to the Australian Wheat Board for shipment to five south Indian ports. |
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| Chaturvedi has emphasised the need to gear up the state procurement machinery "for procuring as per targets and deployment of the Food Corporation of India (FCI)". FCI has decided on a large procurement drive in UP by opening centres across the state. |
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| Procurement of rice is expected to touch a record of 240 lakh tonne as per the final estimates for 2005-06 marketing season. As of now, the government has procured 205 lakh tonne rice, much higher than last year's figure of 186 lakh tonne. |
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| Given the procurement estimate and projected offtake during 2006-07, balance stock as on April 1 is estimated at 140 lakh tonne, well above the minimum buffer norm of 122 lakh tonne. |
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