Threat of foodgrain scarcity looming large, says Kisan Morcha

Shimla, Jun 11 (UNI) Kisan Morcha President Vinod Pande today criticised the UPA Government at the Centre for failing to maintain adequate food grain stocks in the country and said the threat of foodgrain scarcity was looming large.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the country had large buffer stock of foodgrains during the NDA government's tenure and the country was exporting foodgrains to 26 countries.

The Centre had already imported five lakh tonne of foodgrains from Australia, while inviting tenders for importing 30 lakh tonne of foodgrains in the future, he said, adding that tenders were received for importing 17 lakh tonne only.

Demanding that the UPA government should explain as to why the situation came to such a pass, he said the government was not willing to pay adequate prices to the farmers for their produce, while importing wheat at higher costs from abroad.

Mr Pande said a probe should also be ordered as to why the government was importing wheat through AWB company that was already under scrutiny for its role in the oil for food scam.

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