Wheat procurement had started in Haryana on April 20, though it starting taking place effectively on April 23 because of three days strike by the arhtiyas. (Representational)
Madhya Pradesh, which was forced to put off wheat procurement twice this year – first due to political uncertainty and then the lockdown due to Covid-19 – has procured 86.62 lakh million tonnes (MT) of wheat so far, the highest ever in the state. Its previous best was 84.62 lakh MT, which was in 2012.
At a meeting called to review the procurement process on Saturday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the quick procurement had brought immense relief to farmers in the state in the backdrop of the lockdown.
According to state data, wheat was procured from 12.61 lakh farmers in the state and nearly Rs 10,000 crore has already been transferred to the accounts of 10.10 lakh farmers.
Also, 72.80 lakh MT of procured wheat has already been transported and stored. The process began on April 15 and will go on till May 31.
Encouraged by the bumper arrival, the state government has now scaled up its procurement target from 100 lakh MT to 110 lakh MT.