India sets higher rice procurement target than last year, releases additional sugar in market
India has set a rice procurement target of 521 LMT for the upcoming Kharif season from October 1, up from the 495 LMT in the last season. Addressing the media in Delhi, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra also said that additional stocks of two LMT have been released in the market to keep prices in check and ensure ample availability for festive season.
Speaking about India’s rice fortification program, he said that the country is all set to achieve its target of supplying only fortified rice through the Public Distribution System (PDS) well ahead of the self-imposed deadline of March 2024.
Stating that only 12 LMT rice out of 250 LMT stocks in the Food Corporation of India (FCI) reserves are non-fortified as of now, he assured that there are no health concerns of any overdose of iron and fortified rice doesn’t lead to any toxicity. Terming biofortification as a time-consuming process with multiple trials needed for several varieties, he said that the process is in progress through ICAR and various other related bodies.
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