New Delhi, May 14 (PTI): India may import up to 5 million tonnes of foodgrain this year to create buffer stock for meeting the requirements of the commodity during national calamities, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday said.

"We have last year's stock of 4.5 million tonnes. We have procured so far 92 lakh tonnes and our annual requirement is 120 lakh tonnes. So, we have some excess stock of wheat. But to face drought and other natural calamities there is a need to build up stocks," he told reporters on the sidelines of ICAR's 78th AGM.

Pawar said, the Government would build up stock by buying wheat from whichever countries the foodgrain was available.

"We may float tender to purchase 4-5 million tonnes of wheat when harvest in other countries come to market," Pawar said.

India is the second largest wheat producer in the world.

The Government has taken a limited decision, Pawar said referring to the tender being floated by the State Trading Corporation for importing one million tonnes of wheat by August 15.

When asked about the quantity which would be procured by the Government in the Rabi marketing season 2007-08, the Minister said it was difficult to estimate how much purchase would be done by the procuring agencies.

The procurement process and bonus would not go beyond May-end, he said. However, he added that the Centre would take a final call on the time till which procurement would be done after consulting States.

"The bonus and procurement would be stopped after May and till that time procurement would go on. We will have to stop procurement. But we will consult the State Governments and then take a final decision," Pawar said.

The Minister said the procurement exercise never lasted so long, but this year due to late harvesting it was still continuing.

On the wheat output, Pawar said: "We are waiting for the fourth estimate and it will take some time to know the actual production figure of wheat."

He also informed that the estimates are not being done by the government but carried out by independent organisations.

As per the third advance estimates, wheat output is pegged at 73.7 million tonnes in 2006-07.

Pawar also ruled out that the Government has given any direction to States regarding stock limit. The Government had earlier issued an order making declaration mandatory from the traders who purchase more than 50,000 tonnes of wheat.

"No changes have been made in the stock limit order and there seems to be no need to change it," he said.

Replying to a query, Pawar ruled out any further subsidy for foodgrains distributed under welfare schemes such as Anna Antyoday Yojna (AAY).

Highlighting that the Government is providing wheat at Rs 2 per kg against central issue price of Rs 12 per kg, Pawar said the foodgrain distributed under the public distribution system in AAY category was highly subsidised.

The prices of wheat and rice under PDS were fixed in 2001 and have been continuing till now, Pawar said.

The Minister said, there was no definite proposal to increase the prices under PDS. However, he noted that "The previous decision was that subsidy should be somewhat near to 50 per cent but now it has crossed practically to 76-78 per cent".