Centre lifts MEP on onions, tightens stock holding limit on wheat
In a significant move, the Central government lifted the minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne on onions but tightened the stock holding limit on wheat.
Procurement of Wheat during RMS (Rabi Marketing Season) 2024-25 is going on smoothly in major procuring states across the country.
Nearly 262.48 LMT of wheat has already been procured so far this year in the Central Pool, surpassing last year’s total procurement of 262.02 LMT, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said on Friday.
A total of 22.31 lakh farmers have benefited during RMS 2024-25 with a total MSP outflow to the tune of Rs. 59,715 crore. Major contributions to the procurement came from five states Viz. Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh with the procurement of 124.26 LMT, 71.49 LMT, 47.78 LMT, 9.66 LMT and 9.07 LMT respectively.
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The rice procurement is also progressing smoothly. 728.42 LMT paddy equivalent to 489.15 LMT of rice has been so far procured directly from 98.26 lakh farmers during KMS 2023-24, with a total MSP outflow of approx. Rs. 1,60,472 crore.
With the above quantity of procurement, the combined stock of wheat and rice at present in the Central Pool surpassed 600 LMT which puts the country in a comfortable position to meet its requirements for food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes and for market interventions too.
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