Government agencies procuring 90 pc of Wheat arrivals

New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) The Government agencies have procured 73.75 lakh tonnes of wheat for central pool.

According to a statement issued here today, the government agencies in Punjab and Haryana have procured more than 90 per cent of mandi arrivals. Even though the arrivals are slow than normal due to manual harvesting of wheat crop, the government agencies have procured more than 90 per cent of arrivals.

There is no proposal before the Government for any incretive over and above the bonus of Rs 100 quintal announced by the Government of India in 2007-08.

A record wheat crop of 737 lakh tonnes has been estimated this year and harvesting of wheat in Punjab and Haryana is in full swing.

Procurement by Government agencies will continue as long as farmers bring wheat to mandis and procurement centres. In states having weak mandi infrastructure, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, FCI and state agencies have been directed to procure wheat through cooperative societies and sub-agents.

The Department of Food and Public Distribution is closely monitoring the wheat procurement in Rabi Marketing Season in 2006-07.

UNI