The Union Government will soon take a “favourable” decision on increasing minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, according to Prof K V Thomas, Minister of State for Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.

“The Andhra Pradesh Government has asked for a hike (Rs 200 a quintal). We will favourably consider it and will come out with a decision shortly,” he said.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said the Ministry was in the process of enhancing storage capacity of public and private warehouses, keeping in view the mounting stocks. “We are looking at an additional space of 152 lakh tonnes. While Central and State warehouses would have 16 lt, the private sector would build capacity for 136 lt,” he said.

Exports

Answering a query on the demand for permission to export rice, the Minister said it was an issue to be handled with care considering the planned release of 150 lt, including 50 lt for below poverty line (BPL) and 50 lt for above poverty line (APL) families. “We have allotted 50 lt more for 150 districts following a Supreme Court order,” he said, hinting that there was no possibility for export of non-Basmati rice.

He, however, indicated that the Government had made an attempt by allowing export of one lakh tonnes of sona masuri and 25,000 tonnes from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Movement

Towards rice distribution to area in deficit, the Government was in the process of preparing a National Food Movement Plan in association with Railways. “The idea is to ensure availability of rakes,” he said.

With Andhra Pradesh facing a serious storage problem, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Chief Minister, asked the Centre for additional capacity. “We have asked the State Government to increase off-take of grains allotted to it under BPL and APL categories. Of the additional capacity of 152 lt, the State will get 5.56 lt,” he said.

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