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Procurement of wheat during the Rabi Marketing Season 2005-2006 is estimated at 180 lakh tonnes. This estimate emerged at a meeting of Food secretaries of the main procuring states held here today by Shri S K. Tuteja, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution to discuss procurement of wheat and coarse grains in the ensuing Rabi season. The procurement of wheat during the Rabi Marketing Season 2004-05 stands at 168 lakh tonnes.
According to preliminary estimates, Punjab is expected to contribute the maximum to the central pool with 100 lakh tonnes followed by Haryana with 55 lakh tonnes. The Food Corporation of India and State Governments have made necessary arrangement for a smooth procurement operation during the marketing season like setting up of control rooms and purchase centres, establishing mandi facilities and provision of gunny bags etc. Procurement in Punjab and Haryana will start on April 1, 2005 and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat for the Rabi Marketing Season 2005-06 has been fixed at Rs. 640 per quintal.
Wheat production for the ensuing Rabi crop is likely to be around 75 million tonnes provided weather conditions remained favourable.
Shri Tuteja urged the State Governments to undertake decentralised procurement and to create adequate storage space in the procurement regions before the start of procurement operations. State Governments of Uttar Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have been undertaking decentralised procurement of wheat.
The meeting was attended by Shri V.K. Malhotra, Chairman, FCI besides senior officers from the Department of Food and Public Distribution and Ministry of Agriculture.
SBK:CP:rabi8.2
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