Price rise in wheat, rice ‘normal’, to intervene in market if any abnormal increase in rates: Govt

18 Oct 2022 Evaluate

The government has said the price rise in wheat and rice has been ‘normal’ and it will intervene in the market to offload the grains if there is any abnormal increase in the rates. Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey also said the government has surplus stocks of both wheat and rice in its godowns which will be used for making market intervention. He said the price rise is normal as the last year's wholesale price was depressed as the government sold huge quantities under its Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to bulk consumers.

He noted that the whole price of wheat was ruling at Rs 2,331 per quintal on October 14, 2021, as against Rs 2,474 per quintal on the same day in 2020. Therefore, he said it is not advisable to compare the current year's increase in wheat with last year's. It should be compared with prices that prevailed in 2020. When compared with 2020 rates, there is an 11.42 per cent increase in wholesale wheat prices at Rs 2,757 per quintal and 12.01 per cent in retail wheat prices at Rs 31.06 per kg as on October 14 this year.

Asserting that this price increase in wheat is not ‘astronomical’, the Secretary said it is in tune with the increase in the minimum support price, fuel and transportation and other expenses. He further said there is ‘nothing to worry’ as of now as the government has a comfortable stock of both wheat and rice in its godowns as the procurement has been higher than the requirement under the PDS and other welfare schemes.

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