Food Corporation of India Chairman D V Prasad Saturday said the central procurement agency will provide all the necessary support for hassle free wheat procurement, which will start from April 1.
In a meeting with Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh and representatives of procurement agencies held here, Prasad said that the FCI was fully geared up for the procurement season and the target has been fixed to procure 130 lakh metric tonne against the 127.06 MT last season.
A cash credit limit of Rs 19,240 crore has already been released for crop procurement.
In the meeting, Punjab Chief Secretary raised the issue of non availability of sufficient food storage capacity for storing fresh wheat.
Singh said the state government has decided to bring five lakh hectare of land under cultivation of maize, cotton, instead of traditional crop pattern of wheat and paddy.
He also said that the project would be accomplished with the help of NABARD.
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