The government has kick started procurement of new wheat crop from farmers and has purchased 19.31 lakh tonnes of the grain in the current marketing year so far. The government has fixed wheat procurement target at 320 lakh tonnes for 2018-19 marketing year, as against 308 lakh tonnes purchased by state-owned FCI last year. Although wheat marketing year runs from April-March, the bulk of procurement is done in the first three months. FCI and state agencies undertake purchase at the minimum support price (MSP) on behalf of the government. Food Corporation of India (FCI) has bought 19.31 lakh tonnes of wheat so far this year, slightly lower than 20.79 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.