The Parliament was informed on Tuesday, July 22, that the Centre has surplus stocks of rice and wheat which more than the requirement for buffer norm of public distribution system PDS and social welfare schemes of the poor.
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question citing that total stocks of rice and wheat stood at 736.61 lakh metric tonnes (MT) are above the buffer stock requirement of 411.2 lakh MT for the two cereals as of July 1 this year. Furthermore, he cited that the rice stocks are 377.83 lakh MT compared to the buffer norm requirement of 135.40 lakh MT, whereas wheat stocks at 358.78 lakh MT exceed the buffer stock need of 275.80 lakh MT. Explaining about Surplus Stocks, she said the stocks will be released when prices start rising in order to increase the supply of food grains in the market to control inflation.
Additionally, she said that to moderate the market prices and enhance the availability of food grains, the Union Government have sold the surplus wheat and rice, beyond the requirement of the public distribution system (PDS) and other welfare schemes (OWS) for the poor, through open sale under the Open Market Sales Scheme. This aids in the increment of the availability of food grains in the market, controls inflation, ensures food security and makes food grains more affordable for the general population. Notably, she reminded that Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice were launched on November 6, 2023 and February 6, 2024, respectively, to offer atta and rice to general consumers at subsidised rates under the open market sales policy Furthermore, the Union government has imposed stock limits on Wheat applicable to traders/wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors in all states and Union Territories to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.