The Government aims to procure a record 35.31 million tonnes of rice in 2011-12 on the back of an expected bumper paddy crop, a top Food Ministry official said today.
“Food Corporation of India (FCI) has procured more than 33 mt of rice so far in 2010-11 marketing year (October-September). Our procurement target is 35.31 mt for the next marketing year,” the Food Secretary, Mr B.C. Gupta, told PTI.
The previous rice procurement record of 34.1 mt was achieved in 2008-09, he said, adding that the procurement target for 2011-12 was kept on the higher side after taking into account higher production estimates.
The Agriculture Ministry is expecting a record 102 mt of rice production in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June) against 95.32 mt last year.
If the Food Ministry achieves the procurement target, this would help the government meet the requirement under the proposed National Food Security Act.
The government’s nodal procurement agency, FCI, buys rice at a minimum support price (MSP) and stores the grain to meet the demand from ration shops and other social schemes.
The FCI has been procuring paddy (common) at Rs 1,000 per quintal and paddy (Grade A) at Rs 1,030 per quintal in the ongoing 2010-11 marketing year.