Govt of India Estimates 521.27 LMT Rice for Procurement in Kharif Marketing Season 2023-24

The Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), under the Government of India, has projected a procurement of approximately 521.27 LMT (Lakh Metric Tons) of rice during the forthcoming Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24. This projection signifies a slight increase from the previous year's estimate of 518 LMT, of which 496 LMT was successfully procured during the KMS 2022-23 for the Kharif crop.

The estimations were discussed in a meeting on August 21, 2023, chaired by the Secretary of the DFPD, Government of India. The meeting brought together State Food Secretaries and representatives from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to deliberate on the arrangements for the procurement of Kharif crops in the upcoming marketing season.

Among the leading states expected to contribute to rice procurement during KMS 2023-24, Punjab stands at the forefront with an estimated procurement of 122 LMT. Chhattisgarh and Telangana closely follow with anticipated rice procurements of 61 LMT and 50 LMT respectively. Other states in the forefront include Odisha (44.28 LMT), Uttar Pradesh (44 LMT), Haryana (40 LMT), Madhya Pradesh (34 LMT), Bihar (30 LMT), Andhra Pradesh (25 LMT), West Bengal (24 LMT), and Tamil Nadu (15 LMT).

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The meeting also highlighted the estimations for the procurement of coarse grains and millets, popularly known as "Shri Anna." For the KMS 2023-24, the government has estimated the procurement of approximately 33.09 LMT of these grains, a significant increase from the actual procurement of 7.37 LMT during KMS 2022-23, which encompassed both Kharif and Rabi crops. Notably, the procurement of six minor millets, including Ragi, has been introduced at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and will continue for a period of up to three years.

The Government of India has taken substantial steps to encourage the procurement and consumption of millets, emphasizing their nutritional value and the diversification of crop patterns. The revised guidelines include provisions for advanced subsidies, administrative charges at 2%, inter-state transportation, and a revised distribution period for millets. This initiative aligns with the International Year of Millet-2023 and aims to enhance the nutritional content of dietary habits.

During the meeting, various logistical aspects were discussed, including the requirement for gunny bags, route optimization for transporting foodgrains, infrastructure enhancement at procurement centres, and the monitoring of wheat stock limits.

The meeting witnessed the participation of Principal Secretaries/Secretaries (Food) or their representatives from numerous states, including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Representatives from FCI, the Department of Food & Public Distribution, the Indian Meteorological Department, and the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare also attended the meeting.

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