Government agencies in India procure 24.28 million tonnes of rice

Government agencies have procured 24.28 million tonnes of rice in the current marketing season so far as on 16 March 2010, an official release said on Tuesday.

At 24.279 million tonnes, the current season paddy procurement in terms of rice is just 2 per cent less than the amount of rice procured till this date last year (ie, 24.869 million tonnes), which was a record production and procurement year.

This, however, is a significant achievement, considering the drought like conditions in 337 districts of the country. This is also more than the rice procured by the government agencies in 2003-04 and near about the quantity procured in 2004-05. The procurement process is still on and in the last marketing season, about 8.8 million tonnes of rice was procured between 16 March and 30 September 2009.

Punjab contributed the largest share of 9.268 million tonnes, followed by Andhra Pradesh 3.335 million tonnes, Chhattisgarh 2.997 million tonnes, Uttar Pradesh 2.432 million tonnes, Haryana 1.813 million tonnes and Orissa 1.649 million tonnes.

Official data for rice procurement for the past 11 years shows the government agencies procured 18.228 million tonnes in 1999-2000, 21.28 million tonnes in 2000-2001, 22.129 million tonnes in 2001-02, 16.411 million tonnes in 2002-03, 22.828 million tonnes in 2003-04, 24.683 million tonnes in 2004-05, 27.656 million tonnes in 2005-06, 25.075 million tonnes in 2006-07, 26.305 million tonnes in 2007-08 and 33.684 million tonnes in 2008-09 (24.869 million tonnes up to 16 March).