Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar on Thursday increased the wheat procurement target for the 2020-21 rabi Marketing season to 7 lakh metric tonnes (MT) and also directed the food and Consumer protection department (FCPD) and cooperative department to maximise procurement over the next one-month period ending on May 31.
While the earlier date for the start of wheat procurement was April 15, it was further revised to April 20 and the target was fixed at 1 lakh MT, sources said.
The harvesting of wheat had become brisk from the first week of April. Incidentally, the Centre has fixed the MSP for wheat procurement at Rs 1,975 per quintal. In the open market, the purchase price for wheat is in the range from Rs 1,600-1,700 per quintal, reports said.