May 15, 2008

Indian government inches closer to 20 million-tonne local wheat purchase target

India's wheat purchases from farmers inched closer to the government target of 20 million tonnes for the marketing year that started in April, at an estimated 19.06 million tonnes thus far, an official said Wednesday.

Procurement is higher this year because of a hike in the intervention price and bumper wheat production, an official said.

India's wheat production for 2008-09 is estimated at around 76.78 million tonnes, nearly a million tonnes from 2007-08.