New Delhi: May 12, 2007 - The Indian government may consider to import four to five million tones of wheat this year to build stocks to meet any emergency as per Farm Minister Shared Pawar.

This shall be the import for the second year running with government purchases of domestic grain likely to fall short of its target figure as per Reuters. The State Trading Corp has already tendered to import one million tones of wheat. The bidding deadline for the tender closes on May 21.

"We may import four to five million tonnes of wheat this year to build stocks for emergencies," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting on farm research.
"We have enough for this year but we want to build stocks."

Pawar added as on April 1 government had stocks of 4.5 million tonnes of wheat and state agencies have since that date purchased 9.2 million tonnes of wheat from farmers.

The government needs 12 million tonnes of wheat annually for the public distribution system and welfare schemes for the poor.

The Food Corp. of India buys wheat from farmers on behalf of the government. It hopes to buy 12-13 million tonnes by June 1. It had hoped to buy 15 million tonnes.
Lower purchases of the grain in 2006 forced India to go in for expensive imports totalling 5.5 million tonnes.

Pawar said it was difficult to say how much wheat would be procured this year.
"We are having discussions with state governments on low procurement."