IANS | 24 Nov, 2022
The government on Wednesday said that wheat prices are being closely
monitored and their rise since the ban on exports in May this year has
only been 7 per cent in retail.
Food Secretary Sanjeev
Chopra said while addressing media persons that the ban on wheat exports
has led to a rise in stock availability.
Wheat prices, Chopra
said, have gone up only by 7 per cent in retail. However, he added that
if the hike in MSP is considered then the price rise is only around 5
per cent.
He further said that wheat and rice stocks position is comfortable and much above the government's buffer requirements.
Government had banned exports of wheat in May this year to boost domestic supplies and control prices.
Subsequently
its wheat procurement fell to 187.92 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 marketing
year from 434.44 lakh tonnes due to fall in domestic output and
aggressive purchase by private parties.
Chopra further said that
the government wasn't considering any further steps like stockholding
limits and open market sale scheme to check wheat prices.
In September, the government had also banned exports of broken rice due to an anticipated fall in production of rice.
The Secretary said that an inter-ministerial committee is monitoring the prices of essential commodities on a weekly basis.
On edible oil prices, Chopra said that international prices were coming down, so domestic retail rates are also likely to fall.
The
food secretary further that the decision to extend Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) beyond December 2022 will be taken at an
appropriate time.
