Lok Sabha Question No. 800 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-07
Subject: Procurement of Wheat
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RANJEET RANJAN

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 800 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07 th  FEBRUARY, 2017

## PROCUREMENT OF WHEAT

## 800. SHRIMATI RANJEET RANJAN:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the reasons for the severe shortfall in the wheat procurement by various Government  agencies  despite  increased  wheat  production  in  2016-17  in comparison to 2015-16;
- (b) whether the Government has taken measures to address the shortfall in wheat  procurement  and  if  so,  the details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor;
- (c) the total requirement of wheat stock for domestic consumption and the total quantum of wheat consumed in the country during 2015-16 and 201617 respectively;
- (d)  the  total  wheat  stock  available  (including  imported  wheat  that  was already contracted to arrive) in the country and the reasons for scrapping wheat import duty on December 8, 2016;
- (e) the total quantum of wheat imported by the country in 2016 during the period  of  March-August,  September-November  and  December  respectively along with the month-wise data on the percentage of duty applied on the export of wheat from the country in 2016-17 and 2015-16 respectively; and
- (f)  the  month-wise data on quantum of wheat exported from India in 2016 during the period of March-August, September- November and December?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a): The procurement of wheat in Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2016-17 was 229.61  Lakh  Metric  Ton  (LMT)  against  procurement  of  280.88  LMT  in  RMS 2015-16.

The foremost reason for shortfall in wheat procurement by various Government  agencies  despite  increased  wheat  production  in  2016-17  in comparison to 2015-16 is proactive buying of wheat by private players in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

- (b): Procurement in RMS 2016-17 was lower as compared to previous two years but the stock position of wheat was more than the buffer and strategic norms as given in the table below:-

(figs. In LMT)

| Date       |   Stock Position of wheat |   Buffer & Strategic Reserved Norms |   Excess over norms |
|------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------|
| 01.04.2016 |                    145.38 |                                74.6 |               70.78 |
| 01.07.2016 |                    301.81 |                               275.8 |               26.01 |
| 01.10.2016 |                    213.28 |                               205.2 |                8.08 |
| 01.01.2017 |                    137.47 |                               128   |                9.47 |

- (c): The allotment and offtake of wheat under Targeted Public Distribution  System  (TPDS)/  National  Food  Security  Act  (NFSA)  and  Other Welfare Scheme (OWS) during 2015-16 and 2016-17 (upto December'2016) are as under:-
- (d): The total wheat stock available in Central Pool is 137.47 LMT as on 01.01.2017  against  stocking  norms  of  128.00  LMT.  No  wheat  has  been imported  since  2008-09  on  Government  account.  However,  the  quantum of wheat imported in 2016 is at Annexure.

| (Fig. in LMT)   | (Fig. in LMT)   | (Fig. in LMT)          |
|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
| Year            | Allotment       | Offtake                |
| 2015-16         | 265.82          | 245.30                 |
| 2016-17         | 270.96          | 189.01 (upto Dec'2016) |

The procurement of wheat in RMS 2016-17 was 229.61 LMT against procurement of 280.88 LMT in RMS 2015-16 & 280.23 LMT in RMS 2014-15. To make more wheat available in the Open Market in the country through import to  contain the domestic price of wheat,  GOI reduced the import duty from 25% to 10% vide notification dated 23.09.2016 and then further from 10% to 0% vide notification dated 08.12.2016.

- (e) & (f): The  total  quantum  of  wheat  imported  and  exported  by  the country in 2015 and 2016 month-wise is at Annexure.

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## ANNEXURE

ANNEX REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (d), (e) & (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  800  TO BE ANSWERED ON 7 th  FEBRUARY, 2017 IN LOK SABHA.

## Month-wise Import of Wheat for the year 2016 & 2015

| Month     | 2016              | 2015              |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
|           | Quantity (in TON) | Quantity (in TON) |
| March     | 2750              | 4007              |
| April     | 0.15              | 4106              |
| May       |                   | 7682              |
| June      |                   | 97078             |
| July      | 50910             | 190531            |
| August    | 209645            | 127203            |
| September | 252304            | 3076              |
| October   | 261008            | 42516             |
| November  | 554864            | 100               |
| December  | 566152            | 29425             |
| Total     | 1897633           | 505724            |

## Month-wise Export of Wheat for the year 2016 & 2015

| Month     | 2016              | 2015              |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------|
|           | Quantity (in TON) | Quantity (in TON) |
| March     | 21814             | 22330             |
| April     | 52212             | 96930             |
| May       | 49516             | 103249            |
| June      | 32073             | 89704             |
| July      | 23600             | 93434             |
| August    | 26977             | 72051             |
| September | 4855              | 88503             |
| October   | 3808              | 19953             |
| November  | 5603              | 18596             |
| December  | 7545              | 27103             |
| Total     | 228003            | 631853            |