January 24, 2002

'39'

RABI WHEAT PROCUREMENT ESTIMATED AT 230 LAKH TONNES

    Procurement of wheat during the Rabi Marketing Season 2002-2003 is expected to touch 230 lakh tonnes. The total procurement of wheat as on December 10, 2001 during the last Rabi Marketing Season is 206.3 lakh tonnes. This emerged at a meeting of State Food Secretaries held here yesterday by the Food Ministry to discuss the procurement policy and related matters for the Rabi Marketing Season 2002-03.

    Food Secretaries of Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi participated in the meeting besides senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Corporation of India.

    Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has made all necessary arrangement for a smooth procurement operation during the ensuing rabi marketing season including finalisation of purchase centres, mandi distribution and arrangement of storage etc. Food Secretaries of the States were also advised to submit detailed proposals about undertaking decentralised procurement in their states.

    Control Rooms will be set up in the ministry, FCI and also in states for daily reporting of distress sale if any. Steps are being taken to expedite movement of stocks already stored in the procuring regions, particularly Punjab; the states were informed. Wheat is procured under the decentralised procurement scheme already in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and with respect of rice in West Bengal.