Wheat procurement in the current season has touched 11.14 million tonnes as of April 19, 12% more than the 9.98 MT a year ago, according to the latest data from the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The wheat stocks had fallen to 8.3 MT in April 1, the lowest since 2016, as the government’s procurement had plunged to a record low due to a drop in production and increased private buying this year.
Harvesting of the cereal, which usually commences by April 1, started late this year due to the unseasonal rains in March when farmers decided to let the moisture in the crop dry up in the fields.
The procurement in Punjab, which is the largest contributor to the central pool, stands at 3.9 MT as on April 19 while that from Haryana stands at 3.8 MT. Wheat procurement in Madhya Pradesh stands at 3.2MT. The government is yet to procure any wheat from Gujarat and Bihar.
The unseasonal rains in March caused a slight loss in output in Punjab and Haryana, but the low temperatures following the rains helped the crops in other unaffected areas. ‘There could be higher yield for the late sown crops of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,’ food secretary Sanjeev Chopra had earlier told the media.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com