Amid fears of a global food shortage and rising prices, Finance Minister P Chidambaram assured on Friday the people that the country has enough food grains in stock.

"This is the year we will have the highest procurement of wheat. The highest procurement of wheat ever in independent India... we have ample stock of food grains," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters.

Several international organisations like FAO and theWorld Bank have expressed concerns of global food crisis.

He said the government has procured 207 lakh tons of wheat as against a target of 150 lakh tons.

Roughly 98.4 per of the wheat that arrived in Punjab mandi and 99 per cent in Haryana have been acquired by FCI, he said.

"We have higher cooperation from some states, which were not procuring much before," he added.

Chidambaram said rice procurement has also been very high this year.

"We have crossed 245 lakh tons and we hope to procure much more before the season ends in September," he said.

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