Bengal to boost wheat cultivation

West Bengal has set an ambitious target to be self-sufficient in wheat production within four years.

The state is expecting a crop of 1.5 million tonne of wheat this year while the annual consumption is close to five million tonne. The state hopes to close this yawning gap by putting more area under wheat cultivation and increasing productivity.

"In last one year, land under wheat cultivation has gone up by 25 per cent while production has increased by 40 per cent. So the state has scored both on account of acreage and productivity," S K Verma, principal secretary, department of agriculture said.

Speaking at a press meet organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said government was taking steps to streamline wheat procurement system in districts.

S K Chakraborty, general manager of Britannia Industries and a member of BCCI, said the chamber has taken initiatives in promoting alternative farming for farmers.

"With the support of the state government, we plan to organise meetings between farmer clubs and buyers like millers and traders in district headquarters. BCCI will take buyers' delegation from consuming locations (Kolkata) to these places," he added.

There was also a need to identify and designate some space where wheat could be bought and sold. These could be sold to government farms as well.

No mandi tax would be levied in that case. Moreover, the current practice of zero sales tax on purchases made directly from farmers should be extended to purchases from these designated places, he pointed out.

B N Kedia, president of Calcutta Flour Mills Association, welcomed the move by BCCI and state government. It would help the industry get quality wheat at a proper rate, he said.