New Delhi, Jun 1 (IANS): Wheat procurement during the ongoing Rabi season touched 262 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) till May 30, surpassing last year's total procurement of 188 LMT by 74 LMT, according to official data.

About 21.27 lakh farmers have already benefitted from the ongoing wheat procurement operations with the MSP outflow of about Rs 47,000 crore. Major contribution in the procurement has come from three procuring states of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana with procurement of 121.27 LMT, 70.98 LMT and 63.17 LMT respectively.

In addition to this, a quantity of 385 LMT of rice has been procured till May 30 during the Kharif season 2022-23, with another 110 LMT yet to be procured.

Further, a quantity of 106 LMT rice is estimated to be procured during the Rabi crop of Kharif season of 2022-23.

The combined stock position of wheat and rice in the central pool is over 579 LMT (with wheat being 312 LMT and rice being 267 LMT), which has placed the country in a comfortable position to meet its requirements of food grains, official sources said.