Private traders and flour millers are estimated to have purchased nearly 50 lakh tonnes (LT) of wheat from producing states.
Total wheat arrival in the grain markets across country as on date is at 284 LT, out of which 235 LT has been lifted by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies, according to latest official data.
"It is estimated that remaining 49 LT has been lifted by the private traders or flour millers so far during the current marketing year," a source said.
In the last marketing year (April-March), the total arrival of wheat as on date was 256 LT, out of which FCI and other state agencies had procured 230 LT. The remaining 26 LT was appears to be purchased by the private players.
"It appears that private players have purchased maximum wheat in Uttar Pradesh, as out of total arrival of 8.20 LT, FCI and other state agencies have procured only 1.89 LT and remaining has been lifted by private parties," source added.
Besides Uttar Pradesh, the Rajasthan is also witnessing higher purchase by private players as out of 14.75 LT wheat arrived as on date, the government agencies have procured 11.5 LT till date, he added.
However, wheat procurement by government agencies from the major producing states is at par with the arrival, in Punjab procurement as on date is at 104 LT, followed by Haryana at 61.75 LT and Madhya Pradesh at 55.89 LT.
The government has fixed the target to procure 310 LT of wheat during the current marketing year. In the marketing year 2013-14 procurement was at 254 LT.
In second advance estimate by the Agriculture Ministry, government has estimated wheat production to rise at record 95.60 million tonnes in 2013-14 crop year against 93.51 million tonnes in the previous year.
