The Food Corporation of India (FCI) had set the wheat procurement target of 30 million tonnes for this season. Wheat procurement begins from April.
"Wheat procurement by government agencies during current marketing season has crossed the last year mark. As on July 13, a total of 28.08 million tonnes have been procured in various growing states," the Food Ministry said in release.
Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have contributed maximum to the government's central pool, it said.
As per official data, 10.34 million tonnes of wheat was purchased in Punjab, 7.30 million tonnes in Madhya Pradesh, 6.77 million tonnes in Haryana as on July 13 this year.
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The procurement has picked up pace after the government relaxed quality norms for purchase of the grain. More than 80 per cent of wheat has been procured based on relaxed norms.
The quality norms (with respect to luster loss and shrivelled and broken grains) had to be eased after unseasonal rains in March damaged the wheat crop in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.