Lok Sabha Question No. 1538 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-04
Subject: Rice Procurement Rejection
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1538 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH DECEMBER, 2024

## RICE PROCUREMENT REJECTION

## 1538. SMT. HARSIMRAT KAUR BADAL:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ininT mla, ©la ial VT#qf1% fBHwr ++ be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any incidents have come to the notice of the Government where rice from  other States was being smuggled into Punjab and sold to procurement agencies in view  of  rejection of rice quality and if  so, the details thereof;
- (b) the manner in which  the Government plans to address the rejection ofPunjab's  rice despite it being procured by Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State agencies;
- (c) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to investigate and rectify  the issues related to paddy procurement, milling  standards and quality assurance in Punjab;
- (d) whether it is part of  a sabotage to reject the quality  of  Punjab's rice and if  so, the details thereof;
- (e) the manner in which the Government plans to  support farmers and millers  in Punjab who are affected by these quality  issues and subsequent rejections of their produce;
- (f) whether there is a long-term strategy in place to improve  the overall agricultural  practices in Punjab particularly regarding rice production to prevent future occurrences of substandard quality affecting State procurement; and
- (g) if  so, the details thereoP

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI&IATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): No  incidents have been reported regarding rice being smuggled into  Punjab from  other states
- (b): No issue regarding  undue rejection  of rice  on ground of quality  has been reported.

(c) to (g): in  Punjab, paddy is  mainly  procured by  State Government Agencies and Custom Milled  Rice (CMR)  is delivered to Food Corporation of  India (FCI).  The paddy is procured at Minimum  Support Price (MSP)  as per uniform  specifications laid  down by Government of  India to  ensure the  remunerative  price  to  farmers  for  their  produce.  However, in  case of  any  natural calamities, relaxations in the uniform  specifications of affected food grains are also provided  for smooth procurement so as to prevqnt distress sale/rejection of food grains.

There is robust system of procurement and acceptance of milled rice by FCI with multi layered quality  check system. In  case lots  are found Beyond  Rejection Limit  or not  meeting the prescribed uniform specifications, the same shall be replaced by Fair Average Quality (FAQ) stock by the concerned Millers.

Further, during KMS  2024-25; around 172 LMT  of paddy has been procured from  farmers in  Punjab.-Out of  this,  169 LMT  has already been'lifted  from  the Mandis of Punjab and stored at the mill  points for further milling  of the stocks of paddy. FCI has already started acceptance of Rice from the millers  as per Govt. of  India (GOI)  specifications and 94,000 MT  has already been accepted by FCI.

All  out efforts are made at every level to ensure the quality of stocks. The government is committed to  procure all  quantity of  paddy offered for  sale in  Punjab as per  the quality specification laid down by the Government and to ensure that the benefit of MSP regime is smoothly realized by all the farmers.

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