Rice procurement is estimated at 32.75 million tonnes in the ongoing marketing season that started in October last year, marginally higher than the previous year, Parliament was informed today.
Food Corporation of India had procured 32.03 million tonnes of rice in 2009-10 marketing year (October-September).
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Food Minister K V Thomas said that wheat procurement in 2011-12 marketing season (April-March) is estimated at 26.2 million tonnes against 22.52 million tonnes in the previous year.
Higher procurement is expected on the back of bumper production of wheat and rice in 2010-11 crop year (July-June).
Wheat production is estimated at record 81.47 million tonnes in 2010-11 against 80.8 million tonnes in the previous year, while rice output is set to increase by five million tonnes to 94 million tonnes.