Roller Flour Millers’ Federation of India, an association of Roller Flour Millers on Thursday said that the ban on the exports of wheat and wheat products including Atta (Wheat Flour), Maida (Fine Wheat Flour), and Suji (Semolina) should continue during the upcoming financial year 2023-24.
Addressing a press briefing, the Federation pointed out that due to Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic), which was announced on January 26, 2023, has resulted in a reduction in prices of wheat and wheat products by Rs 600-800 per quintal pan India basis, thereby bringing relief to common people and industry.
The Federation also informed that in the initial findings of its ongoing survey of the wheat crop for the upcoming season, the area under wheat cultivation is approximately 343.23 lakh hectares and despite the early onset of summer, a record harvest between 106-110 million tonnes is expected. The record production in tandem with cooling off prices of wheat will enable the government to procure the targeted 340 lakh tonnes of wheat.
Owing to various measures of the government, wheat and wheat flour (Atta) ex-mill prices have fallen by Rs 6-8 per kg. According to Roller Flour Millers’ Federation, ex-mill Atta prices are currently hovering around Rs 2,600-3,000 per quintal vis-a-vis Rs 3,400- Rs 3,800 per quintal in the mid of January 2023.
Due to the lesser domestic availability of wheat in the market, domestic prices of wheat went up to Rs 3,200-3,600 a quintal in January 2023 before the government announced offloading of 50 lakh tonnes of wheat in the open market to arrest the rising prices.
It is pertinent to mention that the government started off-loading wheat in the open market from the first week of February, which has cooled down prices of wheat and wheat products providing relief to consumers and flour millers.
“Following wider consultations, the Government of India allowed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to offload 50 MT of wheat from the Central pool stock, despite marginal stocks in their hands, in the market to cool down the soaring wheat and Atta prices. Centre’s timely intervention has not only provided relief to poor, lower and middle classes but even to a wide range of industries including bread and biscuits,” said, Pramod Kumar S, President, Roller Flour Millers’ Federation of India while addressing the press in New Delhi.
“Presently, the rate of wheat has come down to Rs. 23-24 per kg in the wholesale market in states where the wheat from Central pool has been offloaded as per demand, whereas the prices are Rs. 24-25 per kg in states where the process of offloading is going on. Had it not been for the timely intervention of GoI, the prices would have reached to Rs. 40-45 per kg. We commend the government’s timely intervention and working with the government to lessen the burden of the price rise on the common man. We are fully supporting the government’s objective by passing on the price cut,” said Navneet Chitlangia, Senior Vice President of the Federation who was also present during the press conference.
About 32-33 lakh tonnes of wheat has already been offloaded in the market by the FCI through the e-auction process that commenced in the first week of February this year.
“Our members have already passed on price cut and as a result, the prices are already down by Rs. 6-8 per kg in the wholesale market,” said, Dharmendra Jain, Vice President of the Federation.
Established in 1940, over 2500 members strong pan-India association foresees excellent wheat crop and bumper procurement this year.
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