New Delhi (PTI): With wheat procurement crossing 18 million tons mark this season, the government may procure another 2 million tons by the end of the season, experts said.

"The government can procure 2 million tonnes more by the end of this season if the trend continues," an expert said.

Government agencies have procured 18.01 million tons (MT) of wheat out of 19.6 MT grains arrived at various mandis as on May 8. The procurement was 9.06 MT in the year-ago period.

The Centre, which requires wheat and rice for supply under the public distribution system (PDS), procures the foodgrains from farmers through the Food Corporation of India and other state level agencies at minimum support price.

Wheat procurement will continue in Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan till May 15, while for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar it will go up to June 15.

"Procuring 92 per cent of wheat from whatever quantity is arriving in the mandis is itself an achievement," a government official said, adding whatever grain will come to the market, the government is prepared to purchase even as the procurement has crossed the targeted 15 million tons.

Punjab has contributed 9.39 MT, Haryana 5.04 MT, Uttar Pradesh 1.34 MT, Madhya Pradesh 1.26 MT, Rajasthan 0.70 MT and Gujarat 0.17 MT.

Last year, the government had procured 11.13 MT of wheat leading to an import of 1.8 MT. It had also imported 5.5 MT in 2006-07 as procurement was a little over 9 MT.