According to the Minister, FCI has made significant progress in the North Eastern States, increasing its storage capacity from 5.05 lakh metric tonnes in 2014 to 8.21 lakh metric tonnes in 2023. The FCI, according to the Minister, has also capitalized on the procurement potential in the states of Assam and Tripura through effective collaboration with the respective state governments.
During the ongoing KMS 2022-23, Assam and Tripura have procured 1,21,630 MT and 28,476 MT paddy, respectively, which will increase as the season progresses. She stated that the goal of procurement in the North Eastern States is to become self-sufficient in food grain requirements while also providing effective price support to farmers.
While virtually addressing the audience, FCI Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K.K Meena emphasized FCI's role in not only providing food security to the nation, but also in effective price stabilization intervention.
He stated that, in accordance with the Government of India's policy, FCI has launched the Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic), (OMSS) to control wheat prices in the open market and achieve effective price stabilisation.
He went on to say that the scheme would result in the sale of 30 lakh metric tonnes of wheat on the open market. He emphasized that under this scheme, FCI has floated tenders for a total of 16400 MT wheat in the states of Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya so that flour mills, private traders, bulk buyers, and manufacturers of wheat products can lift stocks from FCI's designated depots. This will be followed by additional tenders.
During his address, the Executive Director (NE), D.P Shukla stated that with the creation of such capacities, FCI can keep stocks for more than four months and that FCI will try to increase it up to six months' PDS requirement to meet any kind of eventuality. The He also stated that FCI is constructing 1,05,890MT of storage space in the North East Zone under the Government of India's Central Sector Scheme (CSS).
Since 2017, a total of 53,930 MT of capacity has been added, with another 30,000 MT expected to be added by the end of the year in the North East. According to Shukla, the newly created storage capacity of 4730 MT at Tamenglong will meet the food grain needs of the Tamenglong and Noney Revenue districts. He added that with FCI's improved stacking standards, this godown can stock up to 5900 MT of food grains.
