MP surpasses wheat procurement target, recovers from last year’s 33% drop

After a sharp 33% drop in wheat procurement last year, the state has not only bounced back but has also surpassed its revised procurement target, recording a significant recovery in state-level grain collection. As of May 5, the state has procured 76.10 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat, well above last year’s total of 48 LMT and the original target of 60 LMT set by the Union govt.

The target was later revised to 70 LMT, which too has been exceeded. Whether the procurement deadline will be extended beyond May 5 remains undecided.

Meanwhile, due to sudden pre-monsoon rains in the state, the officials of the food and civil supplies department have issued instructions to ensure that the wheat remains safe and are constantly monitoring the wheat stock at the procurement centres.

“So far, no major loss has been reported as the maximum number of procurement centres are at the warehouses themselves. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” Managing Director, Food and Civil Supplies, Anurag Verma told TOI.

So far this year, 76.10 lakh metric tonnes of wheat were procured at the procurement centres across the state. Last year, a total of only 48 LMT of wheat was procured in the state. In 2022, only 4.6 LMT of wheat was procured in the state.

This year, wheat is being procured at Rs 2,600 per quintal of MSP, which includes a Rs 175 per quintal bonus from the state govt. This is one of the highest rates at which wheat is being procured across the country.

The state was initially given a target of 60 LMT for the procurement of wheat, but when it was achieved, it was revised to 70 LMT. Now the state has surpassed the revised target also, said sources.

The sources said if past figures are considered, it was in 2020 and 2021 when a maximum of 12.9 LMT and 12.8 LMT of wheat was procured in the state, respectively. It fell to only 4.6 LMT in 2022, but again in 2023, it increased to 7.1 LMT.

However, in 2024, it fell by more than 33% to only 4.8 LMT. This year, 7.6 LMT of wheat was procured, which is even higher than in 2023.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.