New Delhi, May 1 -- : Procurement of wheat during the ongoing rabi marketing season is going on smoothly in the major procuring states across the country with over Rs 256.3 lakh metric tonnes of the crop already procured at the minimum support price (MSP) so far, for which Rs 62,155.96 crores has been paid to 21.03 lakh farmers, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

The quantity of wheat procured till April 30 this year has already surpassed last year's total procurement of 205.41 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) on the same date, showing an increase of 24.78 per cent. All the 5 major wheat procuring states of Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have procured more wheat this year compared to last year,...