Procurement of 3.5 lakh metric ton wheat by June 15 would be a 'big achievement' for Bihar, says CM Nitish Kumar

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said the state government would procure 3.50 lakh metric ton wheat from the farmers by June 15 and it would be a “very big achievement” for the state.
While chairing a meeting to review the latest status of wheat procurement in the state in the current Rabi marketing season of 2021-22, through video conferencing, he said, “The state government has successfully procured 3.18 lakh metric ton wheat by today (June 12), and there is possibility of procurement of 3.50 lakh metric ton by June 15.This would be a ‘very big achievement’ for the state.”
The Centre has fixed Rs 1,975 per quintal minimum support price (MSP) for wheat for the current Rabi marketing season (2021-22). The state government is procuring wheat from the farmers on the MSP, a cooperative department official said.
While reviewing the procurement, the CM asked the officials to further increase the targets of paddy and wheat procurement in the next procurement season. “We have to further increase the procurement of paddy and wheat in the state from the next procurement season,” he said.
Nitish further asked the officials to prepare a district-wise target for the next year’s procurement after carrying out a region-wise study of production and productivity of different crops. “Fixed the procurement target on the basis of production of a particular crop in a region and try to achieve the target in the next procurement season,” the CM told the officials.
He further asked the officials of three departments- cooperative, food & consumer protection and agriculture-- to work in proper coordination after preparing a better work-plan so that the increased target of procurement could be achieved in the next season.
The CM also said that the state this year procured a record 35 lakh ton paddy from the farmers and the wheat procurement would also reach upto 3.5 lakh by June 15 this year. The state government has fixed June 15 as the last date for wheat procurement during the current Rabi marketing season.
Earlier, the cooperative department’s secretary Bandana Preyashi made a presentation before the CM on the current status of wheat procurement in the state.