New Delhi June 20. There has been a dramatic increase in the offtake of foodgrain from the Central pool this year due to higher export of wheat and lifting from the Public Distribution System by the Below Poverty Line population and the open market sale of FCI grain.
As a result, it is expected that surplus foodgrain stocks will ease from next year.
Though the country is saddled with an additional stock of about 400 lakh tonnes as on July 1, (after fresh rabi procurement), the total off-take of foodgrain this year is 312 lakh tonnes, against 179.47 lakh tonnes last year, marking an increase of about 73 per cent.