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The wheat stock in the Central Pool is sufficient to meet the requirement of public distribution system (PDS), welfare schemes of other ministries and the employment generation scheme of the Rural Development ministry; said Shri S.K. Tuteja, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution here today. The procurement of wheat as on date has touched 147.66 lakh tonnes in addition to a buffer stock of 20 lakh tonnes. The total procurement of wheat during 2004-05 was 167.9 lakh tonnes. The stock available in the Central pool is sufficient to meet the requirements of PDS and the demands of the open market, the secretary maintained. As on July 1, 2005 the wheat stock in the central pool will be about 188 lakh tonnes against a buffer norm of 171 lakh tonnes according to estimates.
The Government has taken a decision not to export wheat from the central pool and from October 1, 2004 there has not been any export of wheat to any country. Though there is no target fixed for procurement of wheat, the operation of purchase of wheat from the markets by government agencies would continue till June 30th. As regards rice stock is concerned, the central pool has a stock of over 224 lakh tonnes of rice as on June 8, 2005, as against 228 lakh tonnes during 2003-04. There will not be any change in the scale of issue and price of wheat issued to BPL families in the public distribution system; he added.
Shri Tuteja also mentioned that the availability of sugar in the country is comfortable and about 18 lakh tonnes of raw sugar has been imported so far.
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