Chhattisgarh’s higher procurement than the State’s production partly offsets shortfall in AP, Telangana, Odisha, UP and M.P.
On the back of a significant increase in rice procurement from the rabi crop in Telangana, the total procurement in the 2023-24 season (October-September) was 47.03 million tonnes (mt) until April 30 against 49.88 mt a year ago, down by 6 per cent.
Experts said the fall could have been even more this year as there has been 38 per cent drop in purchases in West Bengal, a leading producer.
However, as the government needs about 40-41 mt annually to run all the welfare programmes including the obligation under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), even if procurement reaches around 51 mt by the end of the season, there will still be a carry over of 10 mt for next year.
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