FCI Chairman & Managing Director Ashok Kumar Meena on Friday said the Food Corporation of India has already procured 7 lakh tonnes of wheat as on date and is well-poised to procure 342 lakh tonnes of wheat this year. He said it is in view of better-than-expected wheat production, estimates, and the government’s assurance to support farmers in view of the recent unseasonal rains.
“It is important for all of us, the government and the private sector, to work together to ensure that prices of wheat and atta remain stable despite global headwinds. We have support of higher production estimates too with us,” Meena said.
Subodh Kumar Singh, additional secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, also said the estimates of both the ministry and private agencies are signalling a higher wheat production this year, despite the impact of unseasonal rains and hailstorms in March-April 2023.
They were addressing the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India’s first extraordinary general meeting and the board of directors’ meeting. During the event, a survey report on ‘Wheat Crop & Production Estimates for the Crop Year 2022-23’ was also unveiled.
The report, prepared by the Agri Watch on behalf of the Federation, expects wheat production at 102.89 lakh tonnes, which is lower than 104.24 lakh tonnes, due to unseasonal rains and hail storms faced by wheat-producing states towards the end of March 2023.
The estimates are based on a survey conducted in two phases across 80 districts in nine states — Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Pramod Kumar S, president of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, urged the government to lift the ban on wheat products export on account of higher estimates and sufficient buffer stock.
He said, “Though the unexpected rains and hailstorm have played spoilsport in the record production, higher acreage and yield are expected to create a comfortable situation for the country. Hence, we request the government to consider lifting the ban on wheat export, so that we could support the large Indian diaspora that always prefer Indian wheat atta.”
Navneet Chitlangia, senior vice-president of the Federation, said that in order to avoid the past situations wherein the absence of data led to the fluctuation of wheat prices, we have come up with this survey. “It will help both the industry and the government to plan the future course of action as well as measures to control the prices.”
Assuring the support of the Federation in the government’s campaign on millet products, Rohit Khetan, honorary secretary of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, said, “The Federation is working towards producing the millets’ atta and is committed to supporting the government’s efforts to promote millets consumption in the country and elsewhere.”
Dharmendra Jain, vice-president of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, said, “The government is open-minded to hear our issues and provided solutions too. We are committed to supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘interest of the country before anything else’ and we have exhibited the same by working with the government in taming the atta prices.”
Established in 1940, the 2,500-plus-members strong pan-India association expects excellent wheat crop and bumper procurement this year.
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