Sale of Bharat rice begins in Chennai
CHENNAI: National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), operating under the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF), functioning under the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs, jointly commenced the retail sale of Bharat rice using vans. These vans are offering 5 kg and 10 kg packs directly to consumers at a price of Rs. 29 per kg.
While the union government described the initiative as an effort to offer rice at a subsidised rate to counter rising prices, food industry sources said the scheme will benefit consumers only if the quality of Bharat rice matches that of Ponni rice sold in retail stores.
According to official sources, a total of 22,000 metric tons (MT) of rice have been allocated for Tamil Nadu, of which 10,000 MT is to be sold by the NCCF. “We have stationed two vans, one near the NCCF office at Thousand Light and another in Anna Nagar. People can buy the packs at Rs. 29 per kg, with a current limit of two to three bags per person,” said an official.
The official also mentioned that the agency has been previously selling “Bharat atta” at Rs. 27.5 per kg and “Bharat Chana dal” at Rs. 60 per kg. “Our plan is to extend coverage to 25 to 26 districts across the state,” the official added.
The rice acquired from central warehouses owned by the Food Corporation of India, has been processed by NCCF before packaging into 5 kg and 10 kg packs. “We are exploring options to sell rice packets through popular retail market brands in the city,” the official further explained.
Meanwhile, the state cooperative department has requested the Union government to utilise its retail stores for selling “Bharat Atta” and other items.
However, sources from the food industry wondered the relevance of this scheme, considering the current retail prices of Ponni rice, which range from Rs. 46 to Rs. 60 per kg depending on quality. They argue that there is no shortage of rice through ration shops. “Selling rice at the same quality as that in ration shops is unlikely to curb inflation caused by higher-priced varieties,” said a wholesale dealer from Redhills.
The success of Bharat rice, they suggest, hinges on matching the quality of Ponni rice available at private retail stores, he added.
Tamil Nadu follows a universal public distribution system, offering free rice at 5 kg per person (up to 25 kgs for five people), with a minimum allocation of 12 kg. Additionally, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cardholders receive 35 kgs of rice without charge. The total number of ration cardholders eligible for free rice stands at 2.1 crore.
Under the PDS, Tamil Nadu requires 3.5 lakh MT of rice monthly, of which 1.94 lakh MT is provided by the Centre for Priority Households (PHH) and AAY cardholders under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) at no cost. An additional 84,000 MT is obtained through a tide-over allocation at Rs. 8.33 per kg. The state also purchases 60,000 MT of rice from the Union government through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) at Rs. 35.5 per kg for distribution to non-priority cardholders and nutritional programs.
“About 70 to 75 % of cardholders purchase rice per month. There was no short supply of ration rice,” said an official from the civil supplies department.
Source Link: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Feb/13/sale-of-bharat-rice-begins-in-chennai
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