Lok Sabha Question No. 4288 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: MSP in Kharif Marketing Season
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Dr. D. Purandeswari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4288

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18Tll MARCH, 2026

## MSP IN KHARIF MARKETING  SEASON

## 4288. DR. D. PURANDESWARI:

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

- (a): the quantum of foodgrains procured from the Rajahmundry at the Minimum  Support Price (MSP) during the last Kharif  marketing season;
- (b): the details of the new silo  storage capacities created in Rajahmundry  Lok  Sabha Constituency  to prevent the wastage of maize due to moisture and floods;
- (c) : whether the Food Corporation  of India (FCI) plans to set up direct procurement centres in Rajahmundry Lok  Sabha Constituency  and if  so, the details thereof;
- (d) : the status of the ethanol  production  incentives  for maize-based distilleries in the region to ensure remunerative prices for  farmers; and
- (e): the details of the steps taken by  the Government to distribute  fortified  rice and maize through the PDS system to combat malnutrition in the district?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The procurement in  Andhra  Pradesh is undertaken on De-centralized procurement (DCP) mode and the  State Govt  agency, Andhra  Pradesh State Civil  Supplies Corporation Limited (APSCSCL) undertakes procurement of  paddy and coarse grains from  the farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP). The quantum of  paddy procured in Rajahmundry District  at MSP during the last Kharif  Marketing  Season (KMS)  2024-25 are given below :

| Quantity procured (in MTs)   | Quantity procured (in MTs)   | Quantity procured (in MTs)   |
|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Kharif crop                  | Rabi Crop                    | Total                        |
| 2,57,501                     | 3,53,518                     | 6,11,019                     |

- (b): As per APSCSCL, only paddy, jowar  and ragi are procured from farmers at MSP in Andhra Pradesh. No storage/procurement  operations with regard to maize are undertaken.
- (c): Andhra Pradesh, being a DCP state, the procurement in the state is carried out by the State Govt agencies and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) is not directly involved in the procurement operations or setting up of procurement centers.
- (d): in  order to promote the usage of maize for ethanol production, Oil  Marketing Companies (OMCs) announced an incentive of Rs. 5.79 per litre  over and above the regular price of  Rs. 66.07 per litre, on ethanol produced from  maize with effect from  05.01.2024 during Ethanol Supply Year 2023-24 (Nov - Oct). Thus, price of maize based ethanol has been increased from Rs. 66.07 per litre to Rs. 71.86 per litre from  ESY 2023-24 onwards.

Maize based ethanol commands the highest price amongst all other feedstocks for ethanol production,  leading to  increased demand of  maize for  ethanol. This  has not  only  ensured more cultivation  of maize by farmers but has also ensured better prices to maize farmers for their crop.

- (e): Under Public Distribution  System  (PDS), only Fortified  Rice is distributed from the financial year 2023-24.  Govt. of India launched a scheme of fortification  of rice and its distribution  to address the problem of  anemia and malnutrition  among vulnerable section of  society. The Government of India  began a pilot  programme in  year 2019 for  rice  fortification  as a complementary strategy to combat iron  deficiency  anaemia among the population. It  was implemented for  three years and targeted 11 districts  in  11 states.  The initiative  was scaled up in three phases - Phase 1 (2021-22) covering ICDS and PM-POSHAN; Phase-I1 (2022-23) covering ICDS, PM-POSHAN and 291 Aspirational  and High Burden districts  under TPDS; and Phase-III (2023-24) covering ICDS, PMPoshan and all districts under TPDS.  By March, 2024, all custom milled  rice under food safety net was replaced with  fortified  rice and since then only  fortified  rice is being distributed under Prdhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna (PMGKAY)  and Other Welfare Schemes of the Government of India

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