Wheat procurement reaches all time high benefiting 44.12 lakh farmers

New Delhi [India], June 2 : While 12.70 per cent more wheat was procured in comparison to last year corresponding period, paddy procurement also reached at all time high level, surpassing previous high of 773.45 LMT in KMS 2019-20.
According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, procurement of wheat in the ongoing rabi marketing season (RMS) 2021-22 is continuing smoothly in the procuring states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir at minimum support price (MSP), as was done in previous seasons.
Till now (upto June 1) a quantity of over 409.80 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of wheat has been procured (which is all-time high, as it has exceeded previous high 389.92 LMT of RMS 2020-21) against the last year corresponding purchase of 363.61 LMT.
About 44.12 lakh farmers have already benefited from the ongoing RMS procurement operations with an MSP value of Rs 80,936.19 crore, the Ministry said.
Paddy procurement in the ongoing season Kharif 2020-21 is also continuing smoothly in the procuring states with purchase of over 796.46 LMTs of paddy (includes Kharif crop 706.69 LMT and Rabi crop 89.77 LMT) up to June 1 against the last year corresponding purchase of 726.85 LMT.
"About 118.16 lakh farmers have already been benefited from the ongoing Kharif marketing season (KMS) procurement Operations with an MSP value of Rs 1,50,370.25 crore. Paddy procurement has also reached an all-time high level, surpassing the previous high of 773.45 LMT in KMS 2019-20," it added.
Based on the proposal from the states, approval was accorded for procurement of 107.81 LMT of pulse and oilseeds of KMS 2020-21 and RMS 2021 and summer season 2021 for the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
"The sanction for procurement of 1.74 LMT of Copra (the perennial crop) for the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala was also given. For other States/UTs approval will also be accorded on receipt of proposals for the procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and Copra under PSS so that procurement of FAQ grade of these crops can be made at notified MSP for the year 2020-21 directly from the registered farmers, if the market rate goes below MSP during the notified harvesting period in the respective states/UTs by the Central Nodal Agencies through state nominated procuring agencies," the Ministry said.
Upto June 1, the Government through its Nodal Agencies has procured 7,29,854.74 MT of moong, urad, tur, gram, masoor, groundnut Pods, mustard seed and soyabean having an MSP value of Rs.3,818.78 crores benefitting 4,32,323 farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana and Rajasthan under Kharif 2020-21 and Rabi 2021.
Similarly, 5,089 MT of copra (the perennial crop) having an MSP value of Rs 52.40 crore has been procured benefitting 3961 farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the crops season 2020-21. For the season 2021-22, sanction for procurement of 51,000 MT of Copra from Tamil Nadu has been given, against which procurement will be started from the date as decided by the State Government.
"The respective State/UTs Governments are making necessary arrangements for the commencement of procurement from the date as decided by the respective States based on the arrivals of pulses and oilseeds," the Ministry added.