Agriculture ministry predicts wheat output at 93.8 MT, traders disagree

NEW DELHI: Even as the wheat procurement season is yet to start, state-run Food Corporation of India ( FCI) is confident of buying the targetted 30.5 million tonnes of wheat this season from farmers. However, private traders and companies say the government should start importing the grain because they expect a fall in local production.

The agriculture ministry predicts wheat output to be more than 93.8 million tonnes this season, while the trade feels it to be around 80 million tonnes. With the implementation of the Food Safety Act in a couple of more states, the requirement for wheat is expected to increase. Wheat harvesting has begun in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

FCI will start procuring the grain from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat by March 16 and April 1 from Punjab and the rest of the country.

“We have kept a target of procuring 30.5 million tonnes this year out of the anticipated 93-94 million wheat production. This is an achievable target,” said an official at FCI.

Over the past two years, FCI and other government agencies were able to procure 28 million tonnes, sufficient for the requirement under various welfare schemes including the National Food Security Act, he said.