(a) whether the Government have made arrangements for the procurement of wheat as per its support price particularly in the wheat procuring States; and
(b) if so, the targets fixed and the quantum of wheat estimated to be procured during
the period of the new crop, State-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) As the procurement operations are voluntary in nature and the farmers have the choice
to sell their produce to State Government, Food Corporation of India; or in the open market,
as is advantageous to them, no targets are fixed for procurement of wheat. However, based on
the estimated production and availability of wheat, procurement estimates are given by the
State Governments prior to the commencement of each Marketing Season. The estimated procurement
of wheat during the current Rabi Marketing Season, 2000-2001 in the different procuring States
is as under:
(Lakh Tonnes)
State Estimated Procurement
Punjab 90 Haryana 30 Madhya Pradesh 6 Rajasthan 5 Uttar Pradesh 20
TOTAL 151