Govt fixes wheat procurement target at 30 million tonnes

Government today fixed wheat procurement target at 30.05 million tonnes during the marketing year starting April as against 28 million tonnes purchased by FCI during this year.
The target was fixed in the meeting of State Food Secretaries held here to discuss procurement arrangements. It was chaired by the Food Secretary Sudhir Kumar, Food Ministry said in a statement.
Out of total wheat procurement target for the 2015-16 marketing year (April-March), Punjab aims to procure maximum wheat at 12 million tonnes, followed by Haryana at 7 million tonnes, Madhya Pradesh - 6 million tonnes, Uttar Pradesh - 3 million tonnes and Rajasthan- 1.8 million tonnes.

Although wheat marketing year runs from April-March, the bulk of procurement is done in first three months.
The government also fixed target for rice procurement for 2014-15 marketing year (October-September) at 35.10 million tonnes which includes 30.05 million tonnes for kharif crop and 5.05 million tonnes for rabi crop.
Procurement of rice during Kharif season so far is; Odisha -.67 million tonnes, West Bengal -.91 million tonnes, Telangana-1.47 million tonnes, Tamil Nadu -1 million tonnes and Andhra Pradesh -1 million tonnes.