Successful Wheat Procurement in Major States
Major States Contribute Significantly to Smooth Procurement Process
Procurement of wheat during the Rabi marketing season 2024-25 is progressing smoothly across major procuring states in India. As of now, 26.24 million tonnes of wheat have been procured, surpassing last year’s total of 26.20 million tonnes. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution provided this update on Friday. A total of 2.23 million farmers have benefitted, with total MSP outflows amounting to approximately $716,58 million.
Major contributions came from Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, with procurements of 12.426 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT), 7.149 MMT, 4.778 MMT, 0.966 MMT, and 0.907 MMT, respectively.
Government Measures and Stock Levels
Increased MSP and Bonuses Aid Smooth Procurement and Strong Stock Levels
At the beginning of the season, the food ministry projected to procure 30-31 MT of wheat. The government announced an MSP of $0,27 per kg for wheat. Which is $0,018 per kg more than the previous season. Additionally, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh announced a bonus of $0,0150 per kg to boost purchases. The rice procurement is also progressing smoothly, with 72.84 million tonnes of paddy. Equivalent to 48.915 MMT of rice, procured from 9.826 million farmers during the Kharif marketing season 2023-24, with an MSP outflow of approximately $1,92 billion. With this procurement, the combined stock of wheat and rice in the central pool surpassed 60. MMT, ensuring the country can meet its food grain requirements under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes.
The Food Ministry’s report confirms that wheat procurement for the Rabi marketing season 2024-25 has exceeded last year’s figures, ensuring a comfortable supply to meet demand. The government’s measures, including increased MSP and state-specific bonuses, have significantly contributed to this success. The combined stock of wheat and rice in the central pool positions the country well to fulfill food security needs and market interventions.