MP govt downsizes wheat procurement estimates to 8 million tonnes for 2013-14

Though unseasonal rainfall has dimmed Madhya Pradesh’s expectations of surpassing Punjab in wheat production, the state has estimated procurement of 8 million tonnes of wheat this year against earlier estimates of 11 million tonnes.

The procurement process of the commodity has already started in four divisions - Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain and Narmadapuram (also known as Hoshangabad). Procurement in rest of the divisions will begin from April 1.

Markfed and Civil supplies, the two state agencies, will procure the commodity at Rs 1,550 per quintal - Rs 1,400 Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Rs 150 bonus on it.

“We have completed all arrangements for procurement,” an official in MP Civil Supplies Corporation said.

The civil supplies corporation will procure wheat in 27 districts while MP Markfed will procure the commodity in the remaining 23 districts.

The state, which had yielded 16.13 million tonnes of wheat in 2012-13, had expected a yield of 19.2 million tonnes this year. “Against all odds, our total output this year would not be less than 17 million tonnes as January rains and favourable weather in February have brightened prospects of a good crop in those areas, which have remained out of the unseasonal rainfall territory,” an official in MP Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development department said.

Since 2007, wheat production in the state is gradually on rise and had touched 16.13 million tonnes in 2012-13 from 6.74 million ton in 2007-2008.

“Wheat has performed remarkably in the fields at an average rate of 2,959 kg per hectare in 2012-13 from 1,714 kg per hectare in 2007-08,” principal secretary in Agriculture department Rajesh Rajora said.

Wheat was sown in the state on 5.7 million hectares this year as against 5.4 million hectares last year.

Wheat production was also good during 2011-12 when it touched 2,770 kg per hectare up from 2,073 kg per hecatare during 2010-11.

The state has devised a new e-procurement system to ensure transparency by informing pre-enrolled farmers about procurement date and names of procurement centres through bulk SMS.