The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has recently announced a reduction in the prices of rice and wheat sold through the open market sale scheme for registered bulk buyers.
According to Manjeev Kumar Goyal, Deputy General Manager of FCI in Chennai, the cost of fortified rice has been lowered from ₹34/kg to ₹31/kg, while the price of wheat has been adjusted from ₹22.50/kg to ₹21.50/kg. This decision aims to implement a market control mechanism that benefits consumers.
To ensure the commodities are not resold to traders or middlemen outside the state, only traders with GST numbers in Tamil Nadu are allowed to participate in the bidding process.
FCI closely monitors the stock position of millers and traders to prevent unauthorized resale. Each person or company can procure a minimum of 10 tonnes and a maximum of 100 tonnes.
Ravi Shastri, Deputy General Manager of FCI Operations, reported that three portions of wheat have already been offered in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Currently, Tamil Nadu has access to 16,000 tonnes of wheat, while Puducherry has 2,000 tonnes available. Out of this, 4,800 tonnes of wheat have been sold through 15 depots in Tamil Nadu and 190 tonnes through a single depot in Puducherry. Additionally, 48,000 tonnes of rice are available in this portion.
Goyal stated that FCI currently holds a stock of 8.54 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.11 lakh tonnes of wheat for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. This stock is sufficient to meet the requirements of the public distribution system and the noon meal scheme for a period of 10 months. The reduction in prices and the ample stock ensure the availability of essential food items to the people in these regions.
