UP already facing wheat storage problem

Uttar Pradesh has started facing storage problem yet again as the ongoing wheat procurement already exceeds the state’s storage capacity while two weeks are still left for the current procurement season to end, people aware of the issue disclosed.

The government has purchased close to 40 lakh MT of wheat so far from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP) and the final procurement is expected to close at 55 lakh MT considering the fact that around 1 lakh MT wheat is being purchased every day from farmers.

“Despite tough situation arising from the second wave of Covid pandemic we have already purchased around 40 lakh MT wheat worth more than Rs 7,817 crore from 8,28,697 farmers.

The wheat purchase was only less than 24 lakh MT during the corresponding period of the previous year,” a senior official said.

“As of now, we are able to overcome the problem because around 15 lakh MT of wheat is lifted from our godowns every month for regular distribution under the National Food Security Mission and the free distribution under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana that has been announced for two months. This PDS off-take of wheat creates space for intake of more wheat from procurement centres,” the official explained.

He said the problem was expected to get more acute in the days to come as wheat procurement was expected to be 55 lakh MT by the time purchase season ends in 15 days.