By IANS,
New Delhi : The government is facing a ?storage crunch? in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to a ?substantial increase? in wheat procurement.
While increased procurement in these three states has put pressure on storage space, additional wheat being moved from the major producing state of Punjab was adding to the problem.
According to food ministry sources, ?there is no space to store wheat moved from Punjab into these states?.
?The problem is being addressed,? an official said.
Data available with the ministry showed that in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, wheat procurement went up from 56.7 lakh tonnes during 2010-11 to 96.56 lakh tonnes in 2011-12.
To add to it, as against 119.28 lakh tonnes of foodgrains moved from Punjab in 2008-09, the figure reached 165.88 lakh tonnes in the year 2010-11.
Officials estimated that by September-end, 84.47 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice would be moved out of Punjab, as compared to 78.42 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice moved out of the state during the like period last year.
Food grains are moved out of major producing state Punjab to ease its own problem of storage capacity.
In the rabi marketing season in the financial year 2011-12, procurement of wheat has reached 281.44 lakh tonnes; of this, 109.57 lakh tonnes of wheat has been procured in Punjab.