The Government of India has sufficient food grains stocks under Central Pool to meet the requirement of NFSA and its Other Welfare Schemes as well as for the additional allocation of PMGKAY.
About 159 LMT of Wheat and 104 LMT of Rice will be available as of the 1st of January 2023, which is well above the respective buffer norms requirement of 138 LMT of Wheat and 76 LMT of Rice.
As of 15.12.2022, around 180 LMT of Wheat and 111 LMT of Rice are available in the Central Pool.
Buffer norms requirements have been envisaged for particular dates of the year as on 1st of April, 1st of July, 1st of October, and 1st of January.
The stock position of Wheat and Rice under the Central Pool have always remained well above the buffer norms.
Around 227 LMT of Wheat and 205 LMT of Rice were available as of 1st of October, 2022 against the respective buffer norms requirements of 205 LMT of Wheat and 103 LMT of Rice as of 1st of October.
Adequate quantity of food grains will be available as of 1st of January, 2023 well above the buffer norms requirement of 1st of January.
Though procurement of Wheat during last season was on the lower side due to lesser production coupled with selling by farmers at prices higher than MSP in the open market consequent to the geo-political situation.
Government of India has ensured that sufficient stock of food grains is available in the Central Pool to meet the requirement of all the Welfare Schemes across the country and prices remain under control.