Lok Sabha Question No. 1725 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-30
Subject: Prices of Essential Food Items
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Tharaniventhan M S, Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1725 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025

## PRICES OF ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS

1725.  SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S: DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the steep rise in prices of essential food items such as rice, pulses, onions and tomatoes, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to curb food inflation, particularly in urban and semiurban areas of the country;
- (c) whether the Government plans to release additional stocks from the buffer to stabilize prices; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

- (a)  : Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  monitors  the  daily  prices  of  38  essential  food  commodities including rice, pulses, onions and tomatoes submitted by the 566 price monitoring centres across the country. As per the data, prices of essential food commodities are stable and under control.
- (b)  : Government keeps a close watch on the production and availability of essential commodities through regular reviews by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC). The Committee reviews, on regular basis, the situation  of  prices  and  price  trends  of  essential  agri-horticulture  commodities  and  suggests  measures  to enhance availability through increased domestic production and through imports.

In order to tackle the volatility in prices, government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onion for market interventions through calibrated and targeted release to moderate the prices in the market. Part of the stock of pulses from the buffer were converted to dals for retail sale to the consumers at affordable prices under the Bharat Dal brand during 2023-24 and 2024-25. Similarly, atta and rice are distributed to retail consumers  under  Bharat  brand  at  subsidized  prices.  Onion  from  the  buffer  had  been  released  during September to December, 2024 in a calibrated and targeted manner to moderate prices in high price consuming centres at wholesale markets and through retail outlets. Onions were distributed among retail consumers at Rs.35 per kg through stationary retail outlets and mobile vans in major consumption centres. The government restricts the export of sugar to ensure domestic availability and is closely monitoring the prices of edible oils and take necessary measures to make these commodities affordable to the consumers.

These  measures  have  helped  in  making  essential  food  commodities  available  to  the  general consumers at affordable prices and helped in bring down the year-on-year food inflation rate to (-) 1.06% in June, 2025, which is the lowest after January 2019.

(c) & (d) :  Strategic buffer stock is maintained for disposal in situation of price rise with the quantity and timing of intervention aligned to prevailing market conditions .

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