Govt targets to procure 32 million tonnes wheat in 2018-19

New Delhi: The government on Thursday fixed wheat procurement target at 32 million tonne (MT) for 2018-19 marketing year starting April, as against 30.82 MT purchased by state-owned FCI during 2017-18.

A food ministry statement said the decision was taken at a meeting of state food secretaries here to discuss procurement arrangements. The meeting was chaired by Food Secretary Ravi Kant.

"In consultation with the states, it has been decided to keep an estimate of 32 MT of wheat procurement during 2018-19 marketing year," the statement said.

Wheat procurement target, however, is higher than the actual purchase of 30.82 MT during 2017-18 marketing year.

Out of the total wheat procurement target for 2018-19 marketing year, Punjab aims to procure maximum at 11.9 MT, followed by Haryana 7.4 MT, Madhya Pradesh 6.7 MT, Uttar Pradesh 4 MT, Rajasthan 1.6 MT, Bihar 2 MT and Uttarakhand 1 MT.

Although wheat marketing year runs from April-March, the bulk of procurement is done in first three months. Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies undertake purchase at the minimum support price.

In case of rice, the government has set a target to buy 5.5 MT grown in rabi season of 2017-18 crop year, which is over and above the estimate of 37.5 MT set for buying kharif rice this year.

Already, kharif rice procurement has reached 28.97 MT as on February 9 this year.

Wheat production target has been kept at 97.50 MT for 2017-18 crop year and the government is hoping better production at an all time high of over 100 MT even as acreage under the crop is down 4 per cent.