A day after announcing the decision to offload 3 million tonnes (mt) wheat in the open market, the Centre has issued detail guidelines on the open market sale scheme (OMSS) for both rice and wheat.

While it has fixed the rice prices for different categories to be valid for the 2023 calendar year, the Food Ministry reserves its right to decide on the quantity and timing of the sale.

In a communication to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the Food Ministry has said in view of uncertainties of procurement/additional allocations, the quantum of stocks to be offloaded, and timing, considering stock holding at the relevant point of time for all the schemes shall be decided by it (ministry).

“States may be allowed to purchase rice (including fortified rice) from FCI for their own schemes at the rate of ₹3,400 per quintal (pan-India) without participating in e-auction,” the Ministry said. However, ₹2,000/quintal has been fixed for ethanol producers under bio-fuel policy and ₹2,400 for others through e-auction. Further, ₹73 per quintal extra to be charged for fortified rice, it said.

The Ministry said private parties (other than ethanol producers) may not be allowed to purchase rice in surplus procuring States during the procurement period of paddy. Besides, the sale of rice in deficit procuring States to private parties may be allowed during procurement. “For conducting such e-auction, the Ministry will give permission on case to case basis,” it said.

In a separate notification, the Food Ministry said small private traders desirous of purchasing wheat 1-9 tonnes per person per depot from nominated FCI depots without participating in e-auction can buy at ₹23.50/kg.

In another order, the Ministry said community kitchen/charitable/non-governmental organisations engaged in relief operations or migrant labourers and vulnerable groups, may get wheat at ₹23.50/kg and rice at ₹24/kg from FCI until December 31.

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