According to Cooperative Department officials, Bihar will begin purchasing wheat on April 20 and plans to lift 10 lakh metric tonnes. Up until May 31st, the procurement will continue. The cooperative department has requested Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) to buy quintals of wheat at the MSP of Rs 2,175 from farmers who want to sell to government organizations.
In contrast to a target of 10 lakh metric tons for 2021–22, Bihar only was able to buy 3,519 metric tonnes last year. Compared to the aim of 7 lakh metric tonnes, the procurement was 4.55 lakh metric tonnes in 2020–21.
The State Food Corporation (SFC) and Food Corporation of India (FCI), which manage buffer stock, get state contributions through the state's better paddy purchasing over the previous year, according to officials in the cooperative department.
Due to the Covid epidemic, farmers preferred to sell to governmental organizations, according to officials, who blame the low procurement last year on competitive rates in the open market. Farmers last year received a higher price on the open market.
The state purchased 42 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in 2022–2023 versus a target of 45 lakh metric tonnes. 28.5 lakh metric tonnes of the paddy from this were handed to the SFC. In 2021–2022 the state purchased 44.96 lakh metric tonnes.
Considering the damage that unseasonal rain caused to the rabi crop, particularly wheat, officials from the Bihar state agriculture department anticipate that this year's wheat yield would be approximately 70 lakh metric tonnes. As per the Bandana Preyashi, secretary of the cooperative department, the low purchase of wheat last year was due to farmers receiving a greater price on the free market.
"We want to stop farmers from desperately selling their produce. This has not occurred because farmers are receiving a good price on the market that is equivalent to MSP. But sure, we are attempting to enhance procurement this year, and we have already given different agencies tasks in this regard," Preyasi said.
