Grain stock needs immediate attention

Despite the Covid-induced adversities affecting the economy in many ways, there was a sense of respite for the government in respect of food security. Such a sense was prompted mainly by the bumper Boro production. The authorities looked quite complacent about the volumes of rice and paddy set to be procured in the harvesting season. But things have turned far from they were thought to be. The procurement drive faltered and there was no immediate recourse to mending the flaws that adversely affected it, and as a result, what was dreaded has begun to slowly surface-- the threat of food insecurity. As reports say, food reserve is dipping drastically. It may be recalled that the agriculture ministry had said earlier that the fairly good harvest of Boro is capable of doing away with worries about food security in the coming six months. Over and above, the next major paddy crop Aman which is set to be harvested soon makes it a no-worry situation in so far as food security is concerned for the next one and a half year. The optimism now sounds no more than a pious wish.

Food security, needless to mention, figures as a major issue in the ongoing Covid time given the requirement of massive quantities of rice under the subsidised open market sale (OMS), gratuitous relief operations for the poor and low-income population across the country. Replenishment of stock has thus become crucially important. According to available information and newspaper reports, the country's current grain reserve has plummeted to less than 0.90 million tonnes as against the comfortable level of 1.5-1.6 million tonnes. The food department has, so far, been able to procure very little in terms of the targeted purchase of paddy and rice even after extension of procurement time for the country-wide drive.

The food ministry had aimed to buy 0.80 million tonnes of Boro paddy during the procurement season, but it could manage little over 0.20 million tonnes, according to reports. The ministry had planned to procure 1.0 million tonnes of parboiled rice but purchased around 0.70 million tonnes. According to observers, this less than adequate procurement was due mainly to offering lower prices than the prices on the market which discouraged farmers from selling to the government. There was a plan to revise and readjust the procurement prices but that too did no happen. Meanwhile, a FE report last week says the country's rice millers have threatened to stop supplying rice to the government if it does not adjust the procurement price with the existing paddy price in the Aman season. If the government does not yield, the only way out now seems to opt for import, for which, reportedly, the food ministry has started the process.

Building a sufficient stock to meet many exigencies and unforeseen circumstances is a must and all-out efforts should be in place to ensure that the declining grain reserve is replenished and restored to a comfortable level. The sooner it is the better.