Top officials of the federation told a news conference here the pricing of wheat and wheat products in the southern states is the highest in the country.
Expressing dissatisfaction at the current rates introduced by the FCI through their 'open market sales scheme', the confederation's convener, M K Dattaraj, said wheat is available to the southern states at Rs 743 quintal.
The rates fixed for north zone is Rs 650 per quintal; for west zone Rs 724 per quintal; and, for east zone Rs 736 per quintal, according to him. "North zone rate must be made applicable to all the states," he emphasised.
"The confederation is now uniting forces with eastern and western zone flour millers to meet the Union food minister with our demands next week," he said.
"Uniform wheat policy is the need of the hour for the industry and consumer," said Dattaraj, who is also the president of Karnataka Roller Flour Mills Association.
According to the federation, FCI this year made a record procurement of 16.2 million tonne of wheat for the season ending June-July. This, it said, is in addition to the carry-over stocks of 12 million tonne, resulting in a total stock of 28 million tonne of wheat.
Since the minimum buffer stock needed for food security is only 12 million tonne, there is currently an excess of 16 million tonne. "This is a grim situation faced by the government, as the procurement of kharif rice crop is scheduled to begin in early October," the federation said.
"Additionally, mandi prices are not expected to rise, given the bumper crop of 74 million tonne during April-June 2000. The excess stock position, high cost of storage and current pricing will result in wheat mountains, if the government does not react quickly and restructure its present wheat pricing policy," Dattaraj warned.
If the government implements a uniform pricing, it would result in liquidating the surplus stocks, he said, adding, the southern states itself could consume over two million tonne before the end of this season apart from similar consumption by the eastern and western states.
Dattaraj said wheat from India has become 'costliest' in the world, emphasising the need for the government to come out with a long-term policy.
The federation suggested that policy frameworks should be such that a quantum of wheat must be made available for export every year, irrespective of wheat production status in the country.
