Govt of India to review food grains situation

New Delhi, Aug 5: The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on foodgrains will meet here on Tuesday, Aug 4 to review food prices and stock situation in the country.

The meeting is also likely to review relaxation in ban on exports of non-basmati rice.Headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, group of Ministers includes Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Commerce Minister and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The Government had banned in March this year export of commonly used rice to improve its domestic availability and rein in inflation, which has since come closer to the 12 per cent mark.

The country saw a record production of 96.43 million tons in the 2007-08 seasons. The rice harvest comes into the market from October.

According to the government's fourth advance estimate, the production of wheat, which is a rabi crop, is estimated at record 78.4 million tons.

Wheat prices have remained stable except at a few places. The government is planning sale wheat in the open market at these cities to curb prices.

Non-basmati rice prices have risen in last one year and are currently hovering between Rs 15-22 per kg.

ANI