In Madhya Pradesh, market rates for wheat soar past govt's support price

Food Corporation of India (FCI) faces stiff competition from private entities in Madhya Pradesh on wheat procurement. 

The market price is presently above the government's Minimum Support Price (MSP). This has led the government-owned entity to set up camps near major harvesting centres, to ease farmers’ transport and sale issues.

“There is neck-and-neck competition between FCI and private players in Madhya Pradesh, where procurement started a week ago. We believe only half the quantity offered by farmers has come to us,” said a senior FCI official in the state. The agency has procured about 500,000 tonnes till now.

FCI says