The Centre on Friday announced that it would buy 44.4 million tonnes (mt) of wheat during 2022-23 and 4.29 mt of rabi-grown rice under the minimum support price (MSP) programme. However, the rice target does not include the estimates of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

The wheat target, finalised by the Food Ministry after a meeting of State Food Secretaries through video conference, exceeds last year’s total purchase of 43.34 mt.

“The target of 4.29 mt rice (rabi crop) has been estimated for procurement during the forthcoming rabi crop in the current season (October-September) from seven procuring States. Estimates of procurement of rabi-grown rice from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana is awaited,” the ministry said in a statement.

Rice procurement could be around 7 mt in the three states from rabi grown crop, considering the past trend, provided Telangana does not reduce the target (about 6 mt).

In Telangana, against a procurement target of 10.5 mt (both kharif and rabi crops) in the last season (October-September), the Centre had procured 9.45 mt of rice. In the current season, the procurement in the State reached 4.7 mt out of a target of 4.6 mt from the kharif crop.

Promotion of coarse grains, implementation of minimum threshold parameters for online procurement operations, supply of jute bags and packaging material, storage space, improving efficiency and transparency in procurement operations and online settlement of food subsidy claims were also discussed during the meeting, the statement said.

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