Search the Internet          Tips  Sites: Finance, Investment

Govt set to export record 8 mt foodgrains

The target of exporting eight million tonnes of foodgrains will be fulfilled during the current financial year, Food Minister Shanta Kumar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, he said 7.3 million tonnes of foodgrains have already been exported to 16 countries and the target will be met soon.

Kumar said India's position was seventh in the list of 27 exporting nations.

He said the exported foodgrains included 800,000 tonnes of basmati rice and added the government had not fixed any minimum price for the export of basmati rice to the European Union.

The Opposition, however, took umbrage over the statement and grilled the minister for reported starvation deaths in the country.

To a query, Kumar said the subsidy on foodgrains had increased to nearly Rs 210 billion at present from Rs 130 billion earlier.

Replying to a question on procurement of paddy at minimum support price, he said there was record procurement of paddy in Andhra Pradesh this year.

Out of the target of total 7 million tones procurement, nearly 6.9 million tonnes had already been secured, he said.

To a query, he said the government would consider Punjab's demand to raise the MSP of wheat.

ALSO READ:
The Rediff Budget Special
Money

Tell us what you think of this report