Page 4 - Fci

Wheat arrivals in India at 12-year high during Aug-Sept across markets

According to the agriculture ministry's data, wheat arrivals are the highest since 2010 when the amount was 4.38 MT

Centre says it has no plan to import wheat, sufficient stock available

Wheat production is estimated to have declined due to a heatwave that resulted in shrivelled grains in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana

Govt eyes ending schemes, including PAHAL, with wasteful expenditures

The PAHAL scheme, launched in 2013, is aimed at reduce diversion and eliminate duplicate or bogus LPG connections

'Wheat stocks can be 80% higher than buffer requirement by Apr 1 next year'

The government on Friday said wheat stocks in FCI godowns is expected to be 134 lakh tonnes at the start of next fiscal, 80 per cent more than the buffer norm.

What does dwindling central wheat stock mean for prices and production?

The wheat stocks in the Central pool have dropped close to the minimum required levels because of lower procurements. What does this mean for the grain's prices and production?

Why did India restrict wheat exports despite big trade plans?

With global wheat supplies impacted, the world turned to India - which promised to fill the void. But domestic compulsions forced it to backtrack. Find out why India slammed a break on wheat export

Statsguru: Six charts show India may see another bumper crop year

Wheat procurements may fall this year as exports and the private market have become more lucrative

Centre releases Rs 2.94 trn to FCI, states as food subsidy last fiscal

The Centre has released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy during the last fiscal to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and states, which is slightly higher than the revised budget estimates. During the financial year 2021-22, the Department of Food & Public Distribution released Rs 2,94,718 crore towards food subsidy, under both DCP (decentralised procurement) and non-DCP operations put together, against the revised Estimates of Rs 2,92,419.11 crore. "This release of food subsidy is about 140% of the food subsidy released during 2020-21 and about 267 per cent of the food subsidy released during 2019-20," an official statement said. The subsidy has been released for procurement operations under MSP (minimum support price) and seamless distribution of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and National Food Security Act 2013 (NFSA). In the last fiscal, the department spent 99.83 per cent of its expenditure by incurring Rs 3,04,361 crores against net .

Food Corporation at the crossroads as grain oversupply meets flat demand

Govt's food storekeeper is procuring twice the quantity national welfare schemes need. It is aware of the problem, and may soon find newer ways to dispose available stocks

Second Covid wave, global prices could derail Centre's FY22 subsidy maths

The Centre's plan to start FY22 on a clean slate seems to have gone for a toss within just six months after it cleared the food subsidy backlog and paid its pending liabilities to NSSF

What did FCI do differently this season to push wheat procurement?

Experts point to three major initiatives that led to a bumper purchase and laid the foundation for deeper and more structural reforms in the annual grain procurement process

Centre surpasses its revenue targets but higher food subsidy cancels gains

While govt made Rs 1.16 trn more revenue, it spent Rs 1.18 trn more on food subsidy too. But it can be said that the govt used the gains it made to settle FCI arrears once and for all

60% of govt 'spending spree' inevitably goes towards committed outlay

With schemes like MGNREGA and cash support via PM-KISAN given priority in allocation from the remainder, govt is forced to dip into capital receipts from disinvestment and borrow from the market

Can FCI's subsidy wipe-out serve as a base for deeper food subsidy reforms?

If clearing of FCI's outstanding dues and loans does not spur further reforms, they will once again reach current levels in the next 4-5 years, say experts

FCI will have just Rs 59K cr of NSSF loans by FY22-end: Expenditure secy

Lower loans will decrease FCI's interest burden by Rs 17,000-18,000 crore annually, say officials

Govt asks FCI to tie up with rice mills to boost supply of fortified rice

The government on Tuesday said state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been asked to tie up with rice mills for increasing supply of fortified rice via ration shops and other welfare schemes

FCI, state procurement agencies purchase 4.85 mn tonnes of paddy so far

FCI and state procurement agencies have purchased 4.85 mn tonnes of paddy till Monday at the minimum support price (MSP) for over Rs 9,000 crore, the government said on Tuesday.

Centre's Garib Kalyan Scheme and the reality of a burgeoning subsidy bill

While govt would have saved Rs 18,000 cr by distributing 33 mn tonnes of grains that would otherwise have gone waste, its subsidy payout amounts to Rs 45,000 cr

Flour millers urge govt to cut in wheat sale price from FCI stocks

They say that it will bring down prices of atta and packaged food such as biscuits

Lockdown helps faster delivery of foodgrain by Food Corporation of India

In 11 days, corporation moved three times more grain than the same period last year