(a) whether any target has been fixed by the Government for procurement of wheat for the year 2018-19;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the extent to which it has been increased from the earlier procurements; and
(c) the manner in which the Government will regulate the wheat prices in the open market?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): Government of India in consultation with State Governments has estimated procurement of 320 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT) wheat in Rabi Marketing Season(RMS) 2018-19.
The estimate of wheat procurement for RMS 2018-19 is 11.76 LMT higher compared to actual procurement of 308.24 LMT in RMS 2017-18.
(c): Food Corporation of India (FCI) sells excess stock of wheat out of Central Pool in the open market from time to time under Open Market Sale Scheme, (Domestic) [OMSS (D)] at pre-determined reserve prices through e-auction to enhance the supply during the lean season especially in the deficit regions and thereby moderates the open market prices.
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