Will it bring a welcome respite?
THE STATE government expects record wheat production — 300 metric tonnes — this season.
But the consumers do not know if the wheat price will become bearish or hot chapattis, part of the daily meal, wi ll continue to cost them dear.
Farmers all over the state are busy in harvesting the ‘rabi’ crop these days. With the arrival of wheat in ‘mandis’, the State Government hopes that the wheat price, which is rising in the open market, will crash and give much-needed relief to the consumers.
Though the Food and Civil Supplies Department has completed its preparation for wheat purchase at minimum support price, the food and civil supplies officers are worried about the fact whether they will achieve the purchase target set by the government.
“All depends on the market rate of wheat,” the officials said. At present, the wholesale price of wheat is between RS 850 to Rs 950 per quintal.
The minimum support price announced by the State Government is Rs 650 per quintal. If the market rate continues to be bullish, it would be difficult to achieve the target, they said.
Last year, the government set target to purchase 27 lakh metric tonne, but it could purchase merely 5.59 metric tonne. The fall in the purchase had direct impact on the price. As meagre stock of wheat was left in the government godowns, the black marketers and hoarders moved in to make fast bucks.
{{/usCountry}}Last year, the government set target to purchase 27 lakh metric tonne, but it could purchase merely 5.59 metric tonne. The fall in the purchase had direct impact on the price. As meagre stock of wheat was left in the government godowns, the black marketers and hoarders moved in to make fast bucks.
{{/usCountry}}The price of wheat and flour skyrocketed in the open market. Though wheat was brought from Punjab and Haryana, it was not sufficient to meet the crisis situation. “Arrival of wheat in the mandis will control the price hike,” the officials said.
This year, too, the state government has planned to purchase 27 lakh metric tonne wheat. Seven state government agencies, including Food Corporation of India, has set up 5078 purchase centers.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has already directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to open wheat purchase centres by March 15 and complete all the arrangements of purchase by the month end. All the agencies, except for the PCF and the UPSS, have completed the preparations.