Procurement centres have already been opened in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where arrivals begin early, and will be ready by April 1 in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, said FCI officials.
“We have opened the procurement centres. However, farmers will start bringing the crop to the FCI centres after it dries up as wheat with very high moisture gets rejected,” FCI chairman Ashok KK Meena said.
Wheat with moisture content higher than 10% is rejected by the FCI. Private traders buy wheat of 8% to 9% moisture content.
The FCI procures wheat for the central pool through different mechanisms: it procures directly in some places and works jointly with local governments or state agencies in some other places.
“We expect the arrivals to increase substantially by mid-April,” said an FCI official, who requested not to be named.
Wheat arrival usually begins early in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, followed by Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.The Madhya Pradesh government, which undertakes wheat procurement under the decentralised mechanism of the FCI, started procurement operations on March 25. However, considering the widespread damage caused by unseasonal rainfall, the state had extended the last date for the farmers to register for government procurement by 5 days to March 5.
About 25-30% of the wheat crop in Madhya Pradesh has been harvested till date.
In Punjab and Haryana, FCI officials expect procurement to reach peak levels by April 10.
There are fears about a fall in production due to the climate aberrations that may adversely affect the quantity of wheat that the FCI can get. The wheat stock with the FCI is at a critically low level.