Wheat buying on a high, rice yet to pick up

Wheat procurement by central agencies has risen in 2011-12 marketing season on the back of increased buying in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar, but that of rice is yet to pick up, Parliament was informed today.

The government has procured 28.14 million tonne of wheat as on August 1, 2011, in the 2011-12 marketing season (April - March) compared to 22.54 million tonne in the in entire 2010-11 marketing season, Food Minister KV Thomas said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

However, till November 17, 2011, only 10.10 million tonne of rice has been procured in the 2011-12 marketing season (October-September) as against 34.18 million tonne in the entire 2010-11 season, he added.

The rise in wheat procurement is mainly due to improved performance in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other central agencies have procured 34.6 lakh tonne of wheat from Uttar Pradesh till August 1, 2011, in the current marketing season compared to 16.45 lakh tonne in the 2010-11 marketing season, he said.

Similarly, wheat uptake from Rajasthan stood at 13.02 lakh tonne till July end in the 2011-12 marketing season as against 4.76 lakh tonne in the year-ago period. Procurement from Bihar rose to 4.77 lakh tonne from 1.83 lakh tonne in the same period, Thomas added.

However, in the case of rice, procurement is yet to pick up in the current season, the minister said.

Paddy purchase is lagging in promiment states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh as compared to 2010-11 season, he added.