Lok Sabha Question No. 4453 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-08
Subject: Price Rice of Essential Items
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4453

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.01.2019

## PRICE RICE OF ESSENTIAL ITEMS

## 4453.  SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE: (OIH)

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken or is considering any initiative for effective measures to stop the unprecedented rise in the price of essential items;
- (b) if so, the details thereof as on date; and
- (c)
- if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (c)  :    Government  has  taken  various  measures  from  time  to  time  to  stabilize  prices  of essential  food  items  which,  inter-alia,  include  appropriately  utilizing  trade  and  fiscal  policy instruments  like  import  and  export  duty,  Minimum  Export  Price,  export  restrictions,  etc.  to regulate domestic availability and moderate prices; imposition of stock limits and advising States for  effective  action  against  hoarders  &  black  marketers  ;  and,  provision  of  higher  Minimum Support Prices to incentivize farmers for increasing production. Government is also implementing  Schemes  which,  inter  alia,  include  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture (MIDH), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Oilseeds and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP),  etc.  for  increasing  agricultural  production  and  productivity  through appropriate  interventions.  Besides,  Government  is  also  implementing  Price  Stabilization  Fund (PSF)  to  help  moderate  the  volatility  in  prices  of  agri-horticultural  commodities  like  pulses, onion,  and  potato.  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  and  Industries  (MoFPI)  has  also  formulated  a new scheme 'Operation Greens' for integrated development of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) value chain which, inter alia, has the objective of price stabilisation for producers and consumers by proper production planning in the TOP clusters and introduction of dual use varieties. These policy  interventions  by  Government  had  ensured  that  prices  of  the  majority  of  essential  food items monitored by Department of Consumer Affairs have remained relatively stable or declined with only a few recording marginal increase during 2018 over prices in 2017. Details of prices are Annexed.

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ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4453 FOR 08.01.2019 REGARDING PRICE RICE OF ESSENTIAL ITEMS.

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## ALL  INDIA  YEARLY  AVERAGE  RETAIL  PRICES  OF  22  ESSENTIAL  FOOD  ITEMS MONITORED BY DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS

(Unit: in ₹/kg)

| Year Commodity         |   2017 |   2018 |
|------------------------|--------|--------|
| Rice                   |  29.23 |  30.05 |
| Wheat                  |  23.9  |  24.2  |
| Atta (wheat)           |  26.24 |  26.43 |
| Gram Dal               |  87.28 |  66.47 |
| Tur Dal                |  84.02 |  71.07 |
| Urad Dal               |  92.35 |  70.83 |
| Moong Dal              |  77.57 |  73.46 |
| Masoor Dal             |  70.32 |  61.29 |
| Groundnut Oil (Packed) | 131    | 125.79 |
| Mustard Oil (Packed)   | 106.98 | 106.16 |
| Vanaspati Oil(Packed)  |  77.71 |  80.32 |
| Soya Oil(Packed)       |  85.21 |  89.34 |
| Sunflower Oil(Packed)  |  93.1  |  96.28 |
| Palm Oil(Packed)       |  70.37 |  76.68 |
| Potato                 |  14.94 |  19.02 |
| Onion                  |  22.41 |  23.64 |
| Tomato                 |  32.32 |  21.82 |
| Sugar                  |  42.63 |  38.92 |
| Gur                    |  44.72 |  43.11 |
| Milk (₹/ltr.)          |  41.58 |  42.31 |
| Tea Loose              | 202.76 | 209.19 |
| Salt                   |  15.11 |  15.22 |

Source: - State Civil Supplies Deptt.

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