MP set to overtake Haryana in wheat procurement,to move to 2nd place

Close on the heels of the Cabinet approving the revised Food Security Bill that would entail an annual foodgrain procurement of over 61 million tonnes

Close on the heels of the Cabinet approving the revised Food Security Bill that would entail an annual foodgrain procurement of over 61 million tonnes,the government on Tuesday said it plans about 16 per cent more wheat procurement this season. And for the first time,Madhya Pradesh is estimated to procure more wheat than Haryana,which traditionally ranks second after Punjab.

In a written answer to the Lok Sabha,Food Minister K V Thomas said Madhya Pradesh is estimated to procure about 13 million tonnes wheat this year,leaving Haryana at third spot with a target of 7.8 million tonnes. Punjab,however,will remain in the top slot with 14 million tonnes.

The Food Ministry has planned about 44.12 million tonnes wheat procurement this season starting April 1 as against 38.15 million tonnes procured last year.

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According to our deliberations with state governments,Madhya Pradesh is estimated to procure more wheat this season than Haryana, FCI CMD Amar Singh also confirmed to The Indian Express. You can say that Madhya Pradesh,for the first time,is likely to become the second largest wheat contributor while Haryana will be third, Singh said.

But Madhya Pradesh government sources said the state government has worked out a conservative target of 11.5 million tonnes. However,this is still more than the 7.8 million tonnes target for Haryana.

In fact,Madhya Pradeshs conservative target is also more than the 8.67 million tonnes procured by Haryana last year. While Haryana procured 8.67 million tonnes last season,Madhya Pradesh procured about 8.51 million tonnes.

Madhya Pradeshs jump is a remarkable agricultural turn as the state contributed less than two million tonnes of wheat in 2002-03,before the BJP government came to power. The success story is attributed to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans aggressive push for wheat procurement.

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During the recent BJP conclave,Chouhan had highlighted his governments substantial expansion in irrigation facilities in the state,from below 10 lakh hectares to about 25 lakh hectares.

Meanwhile,the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is also estimated to almost double the wheat procurement this season. Thomas today informed the Lok Sabha that Bihar is estimated to procure 1.5 million tonnes of wheat as against 0.77 million tonnes procured last year.

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