The Food Corporation of India’s Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K. Meena said the Centre would continue the ban on wheat export till it was confident about domestic supplies meeting the country’s food security needs.
Mr. Meena said the untimely rains have not impacted the standing crops or harvest as of now.
Mr. Meena said 10,727 metric tonnes of wheat have been procured up to March 27 this rabi season. “The wheat has been procured in the state of Madhya Pradesh in the areas of Ujjain, Dewas, Indore, Shajapur, Sehore etc. It is also worthwhile to note that the total procurement last year during March was around 10,000 metric tonnes only whereas this year, this figure has already been crossed on March 27,” a release from the Food Ministry said.
Compared to 18 lakh farmers actually participating in public procurement last year, more than 31 lakh farmers have already registered themselves this year for the same, the release added. “These are good signs for healthy procurement of wheat this year,” Mr. Meena said .
He said the FCI estimates procurement of 341.50 lakh metric tonne wheat in this season as against 187.92 lakh metric tonne actually procured during the last rabi season. The Centre had finalised State-wise procurement estimates based on the information furnished by the State governments.
The estimated production of wheat, according to the Union Agriculture Ministry, is around 1,121 lakh metric tonnes in this rabi season. “As per the latest reports from the field offices of FCI, the recent rains have not impacted adversely the production of wheat,” Mr. Meena said. Farmers have been complaining that they suffered huge losses in wheat cultivation due to the rains in the last two weeks.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
