Govt Plans to Procure 44.4 million tonnes of Wheat & 4.3 million tonnes of Rabi Rice

The Centre announced on Friday that it would purchase 44.4 million tonnes (mt) of wheat and 4.29 million tonnes (mt) of rabi-grown rice under the minimum support price (MSP) programme in 2022-23. The rice target, however, excludes Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana estimates.

The wheat target, which was finalized by the Food Ministry following a video conference meeting of State Food Secretaries, exceeds last year's total purchase of 43.34 mt.

"A target of 4.29 million tonnes of rice (rabi crop) has been estimated for procurement from seven procuring States during the upcoming rabi crop in the current season (October-September)." Estimates of procurement of rabi-grown rice from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana are awaited, according to the ministry.

Given the past trend, rice procurement in the three states could be around 7 million tonnes from rabi-grown crops, assuming Telangana does not reduce the target (about 6 mt).

In Telangana, the Centre procured 9.45 million tonnes of rice (both Kharif and rabi crops) against a procurement target of 10.5 million tonnes (both Kharif and rabi crops) in the previous season (October-September).

In the current season, the state procured 4.7 million tonnes out of a target of 4.6 million tonnes from the Kharif crop.

The meeting also discussed the promotion of coarse grains, the implementation of minimum threshold parameters for online procurement operations, the supply of jute bags and packaging material, storage space, improving efficiency and transparency in procurement operations, and the online settlement of food subsidy claims, according to the statement.

Wheat procurement in major states: (lakh tonnes) 2022-23 (target) 2021-22 (actual)

• Punjab 132 132.22

• Haryana 85 84.93

• Uttar Pradesh 60 56.41

• Madhya Pradesh 129 128.16

• Rajasthan 23 23.40

• Bihar 10 4.56