No motion to manage wheat costs but: Meals Secretary Sanjeev Chopra

The federal government has dominated out any motion to manage wheat costs because it retains a detailed watch on the value motion of the commodity. The worth rise of the meals grain is in tandem with the rise within the minimal assist worth (MSP) and common inflationary developments, stated Sanjeev Chopra, secretary, the Division of Meals.

“Rice costs are simply flat. Wheat costs have gone up by 7 p.c in retail after the imposition of wheat ban in Might and if we bear in mind the rise in minimal assist worth (MSP), the value rise is 4-5 per cent,” he stated.

Chopra stated that no resolution has been taken but on Open Market Sake Scheme (OMSS) of wheat to chill down the costs including that the inventory place of wheat and rice are snug and greater than the buffer norms.

The federal government can have 113 LMT of wheat on April 1, 2023 towards the buffer inventory of 75 LMT required. The projected inventory place of rice as of April 1, 2023 is 237 LMT towards the buffer norm of 137 LMT.
The federal government has procured 277.37 LMT of paddy as on November 21 this yr in comparison with final yr’s 263.42 MT throughout the identical interval. Nonetheless, its wheat procurement fell to 187.92 lakh tonnes within the 2022-23 advertising yr from 434.44 lakh tonnes as a consequence of fall in home output and aggressive purchases by non-public events.

On edible oil, Chopra stated the retail costs of cooking oils are on a downward development and charges are prone to cut back additional.

In Might, the federal government had banned exports of wheat to augur home provides and hold costs below management. In September, it additionally banned exports of damaged rice.