UP to procure 2.7 mn tonnes of wheat

The Uttar Pradesh government has set a target of procuring 2.7 million tonnes of wheat under the minimum support price scheme for the current rabi season. The state has also endorsed the minimum support price of wheat at Rs 650 per quintal for the current season, as decided by the Centre.

As per the procurement plan, five agencies of the state government have been assigned the task of procuring 2.5 million tonnes of wheat for the state pool, while the Food Corporation of India will purchase 200,000 tonnes for the central pool. The agencies will open as many as 5,078 procurement centres in 70 districts of the state.

The state government has also sanctioned a cash credit limit of Rs 130 crore for the procurement. Considering last season's poor procurement of wheat, the procurement of 27 lakh MT appears to be a tall order.

Last rabi season (2004-05), the state government had fixed the target of procuring 27 lakh MT, but the actual collection was mere a 5 lakh MT.