May 23, 2012

India to export two million tonnes wheat from government stocks

Rangarajan panel's suggestion to immediately allow export of two million tonnes of wheat from government stocks has been supported by India's food ministry to ease pressure on storages, India's Rajya Sabha was informed Tuesday (May 22).

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, India's Food Minister K V Thomas said the Prime Minister had constituted an expert group headed by Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan to suggest ways to ease pressure that record food grain production had created on storages. India's panel suggested immediate export of two million tonnes of wheat from government stocks, and additional supply of 13 million tonnes of the grain via ration shops and in the open market. India's committee's suggestions are being examined. Our department has fully supported the suggestions of C Rangarajan committee, he said.

At present, India's government godowns are overflowing with granaries with 62.8 million tonnes of storage capacity unable to accommodate about 75 million tonnes of stocks. For public distribution system (PDS), the requirement of food grain is 62-63 million tonnes, he said adding record production has created problem of plenty.

In 2012-13, India's government has allocated 543 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat so far under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), he said.

Considering the availability of surplus stocks in the Central Pool, India's government in 2011-12 increased the per family monthly APL allocations from 10-15 kilogrammes in 22 states/UTs and gave 35 kilogrammes in 13 special category stages/UTs.