Govt announces Rs 50 a quintal bonus on wheat, 30 lakh tonne import

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) The Government today announced a bonus of Rs 50 per quintal on the wheat procured from farmers by the Food Corporation of India and State agencies during Rabi marketing season of 2006-07 and also immediate import of 30 lakh tonnes of wheat to augment the buffer stock.

The bonus will be paid over and above the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 650 per quintal.

Announcing this, Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar said the payment of bonus will be made from tomorrow itself and those farmers who had already sold their produce to FCI and State agencies since the beginning of official procurement from March 20, will also be entitled for the bonus.

The import of 30 lakh tonnes of wheat is in addition to the already contracted import of 5 lakh tonnes from Australia. MORE UNI JSS/BBS PK RS2003