The Government has procured over 10 million tonnes (mt) of rice in the ongoing kharif marketing season 2012-13.
Till November 8, the procured quantity of rice stood at 10.07 mt against 9.4 mt in the corresponding period last year, according to the Food Ministry data.
The highest procurement has been made in Punjab at 7.6 mt, followed by Haryana at 2.41 mt and Andhra Pradesh at 33,483 tonnes. Procurement in Chandigarh stood at 11,256 tonnes, a Food Ministry statement said. Rice stocks in the Central Pool as on November 1, stood at 28.95 mt, four times the buffer and strategic reserves of 7.7 mt as of October 1.
Similarly the wheat stocks in the Central Pool stood at 40.57 mt, about thrice the buffer and strategic reserve at this point in time.
The total foodgrain stocks in the Central pool stood at 69.52 mt as on November 1.