Bumper wheat crop likely, Himachal govt set to procure 60,000 MT

Bhanu P Lohumi

Shimla, March 14

Farmers expecting a bumper wheat crop this year have another reason to cheer as the state government has set a target to procure 60,000 MT of wheat through eleven procurement centres, three more than last year.

Till 2020, wheat producers of the state used to sell their produce in neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab. However, last year, a portal was put in place for the purchase and revenue papers of farmers were required for selling the produce, which barred farmers from selling their produce outside the state.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has set up 11 procurement centres and set a target to procure 60,000 MT of wheat during the upcoming Rabi Marketing Season 2022-23. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) would be Rs 2,015 per quintal, said Managing Director, HP State Agricultural Marketing Board, (HPSAMB) Naresh Thakur.

The procurement would start from April 15. Extensive preparations have been made for the purchase of wheat during the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2022-23. Meetings with stakeholders are being held and sensitisation workshops for farmers are going on, he said, adding that day, the state government had procured a record 13,039 MT of wheat against a target 12,500 MT last year and the target had been increased considering the increased participation of farmers to sell the crop within the state.

Three more procurement centres have come up in Sirmaur, Kangra and Solan districts, taking the number of purchase centres in the state to 11, located in Kala Amb, Haripur Tohana, Pipliwala, Nalagarh and Baddi Takarala and Haroli/Kangar, Milwan and Gujjar-ka-talab and Mjari. The opening of procurement centres in wheat-growing areas will also reduce the cost of transportation.

The HPSAMB has floated tenders and awarded works of Rs 5.77 crore for constructing four Anaj Mandis at Riyali, Milwan, Rampur (Una) and Majori and the upgrade of four mandis at Takarala, Nalagarh, Paonta Sahib and Kangani. At present, there are 66 functional mandis in the state.

Periodic rains in lower areas, particularly in rainfed areas, brightened the prospects of bumper wheat crop this year. Wheat crop is grown over about 3,40,000 hectare in all districts of the state, except Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur districts.

There are chances of prices going above MSP as a ban has been imposed on the produce from Russia and Ukraine. As 20 per cent of wheat in the international market came from these two countries, surplus wheat could be exported from India, experts said.

Three new centres come up

• Three more procurement centres have come up in Sirmaur, Kangra and Solan districts, taking the number of purchase centres in the state to 11
• Periodic rains in lower areas have brightened the prospects of bumper wheat crop this year and the production target of 6,72,000 MT is likely to be surpassed