Government's rice procurement still lags at 10.35 million tonnes

NEW DELHI: Rice procurement by government agencies continues to lag at 10.35 million tonnes (MT) in the marketing year 2014-15 so far as against 10.9 MT in the corresponding period last year.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies undertake procurement of rice and wheat to ensure that farmers get a minimum support price (MSP).

"Rice procurement as on November 24 is slightly lower than year ago. Procurement in Punjab and Haryana is nearing end. Other states like Telangana have started buying," a senior FCI official told PTI.

Rice marketing year runs from October to September and the annual procurement target for this year is 30 MT.

In Punjab, rice procurement so far this year has been 7.7 MT, as against 8 MT in the year-ago period, while in Haryana, it reached 1.98 MT as against 2.4 MT in the review period.

In Telangana, about 3,88,000 tonnes of rice has been procured so far this year.

Last year, kharif rice procurement was 26.6 MT as against the target of 32.06 MT.