India has adequate stock of foodgrains: Anand Sharma

09 Jul 2011 Evaluate

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, ahead of ministers' panel meeting likely next week on the issue of wheat and non-basmati rice exports, said that the country has an adequate stock of foodgrains. "We have adequate food reserves of both wheat and rice...We have almost twice the required quantity both for wheat and rice for the buffer and the critical reserves," Sharma said. However, minister by adding further said that a group of ministers will have to take a view on all aspects, including the domestic and global prices of these commodities.

The EGoM headed by finance minister is scheduled to meet on July 11 to review the issue of foodgrains exports. The food ministry has put a proposal to export 2 million tonnes of wheat and 1 million tonnes of non-basmati rice. 'There are some proposals from the Food Ministry and the feasibility has been examined by the Commerce Ministry...But the view has to be taken by a group of ministers on this matter (allowing exports of wheat and non-basmati rice),' Sharma said.

Presently, the government godowns are spilling over with the more than 65 million tonnes of foodgrains whereas the storage capacity of government godowns is only 62.5 million tonnes. For the current financial year, the agriculture ministry has pegged the foodgrain production at 245 million tonnes, from 235.88 million of 2010-11.

Earlier, the government had banned the exports of wheat and non-basmati rice in 2007 and 2008 respectively, in the backdrop of high food inflation. 

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