AMN / WEB DESK
The Government has said that prices of essential commodities like Sugar, Wheat, Rice and Edible Oils are under control due to the measures taken by it.
In an Interview to Akashvani News, Secretary of, the Department of Food and Public Distribution Sanjeev Chopra said that the government is closely monitoring the price situation of these commodities and will ensure that their prices remain under control during the festive season. On Sugar prices, Mr. Chopra said that there is an availability of 57 lakh tonnes of Sugar in the country which is adequate to meet the domestic demand for two and half months.
Mr. Chopra said, that to ensure sufficient availability of sugar for domestic consumers at a reasonable price throughout the year, the Government has continued ‘restriction’ of sugar exports till further orders. This would also ensure healthy stocks of sugar in the country and maintenance of consistency in India’s efforts towards greener fuel under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol (EBP) Programme. He added that despite international sugar prices being at 12 years high, sugar in India is among the cheapest in the world. Besides, appropriate Government policies on sugarcane and sugar have ensured that sugar mills have made payments of more than one lakh crore rupees clearing more than 95 percent of cane dues for Sugar Season 2022-23.
On the availability of wheat in the country, Mr. Chopra said that currently there is a stock of 230 lakh tonnes of wheat and the Government is making available this commodity to the flour mills through the Open Market Sale Scheme to check its price. On the prices of rice, Secretary, Sanjeev Chopra said, that due to harvesting season, fresh products will come to mandis resulting in bringing down the prices of this food item in the coming months.
Mr. Chopra said, the Government has also extended the 20 per cent export duty on Parboiled Rice till 31st of March,2024 from the 15th of October to maintain adequate availability in the domestic market.
Mr. Chopra also said there is enough stock of edible oils in the country and currently it is at 36 lakh tonnes against last year’s availability of 25 lakh tonnes.