Relevance: GS-3: Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices; Public Distribution System - Objectives; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security

Key Phrases: Shrivelled grains, FCI, fair and average quality (FAQ) norms,Public Distribution System.

Context:

• Recently, Punjab and Haryana have sought relaxation in procurement norms for the shrivelled wheat.
• They argue that there is no loss of quality or shelf life due to shrivelled and broken grains.
• The Centre may not be able to reject its request this year as it may lose most of its already purchased wheat from these two states that do not conform to current standards.
• Even Food Corporation of India (FCI) has favourably recommended to the Food Ministry for relaxation at the earliest.

What is Shrivelling?

• The unusual weather conditions (for instance, high temperature in April) causes the grain to lose its weight and causes deformity in the appearance.
• Due to dry conditions and high temperature, the grains dry up and the moisture content reduces.
• But, as per officials there is no issue in quality and it is fit for human consumption.
  • There is only a reduction in weight when the wheat is shrivelled.
  • As the farmers are paid by the weight of the produce, it causes loss to the farmers.

What are Procurement Norms for Shrivelled Grains?

• As per Food Corporation of India (FCI), the maximum permissible limit of shrivelled grains is upto 6%.
• It is believed that after the representations of Punjab and Haryana, FCI/Food Ministry sent its teams to both the States last month (April 13-17) and samples were tested in laboratories to decide on the relaxation in fair and average quality (FAQ) norms.
  • FCI has recommended relaxation of upto 20%.

Procurement Down

• As per data collected on May 1: The combined wheat procurement in both the States were down to 34% at 12.63 million tonnes (mt) vs 19.24 mt (last year).
• The fall in Haryana was over 53% and that in Punjab was more than 20%.
• FCI had given following recommendations to the Food Ministry regarding wheat,
  • More than 16% shrivelled grains -should be distributed within the State and
  • Less than 16% shrivelled grains - should be distributed among other states.

Analysis of Samples

• In Punjab - 365 samples were collected by the central team from 24 districts of Punjab
  • Only 41 samples conformed to the current FAQ norms of less than 6%.
  • 102 samples were in the range of 15-20%,
  • 153 samples in 6-15% and
  • Remaining were more than 20%.
• In Haryana, 272 samples were tested
  • 140 samples were found to have shrivelled and broken grains up to 6% and
  • 132 samples were in 6-14% range.

Past Precedence

• The government has relaxed the norms in the past.
  • An early decision will help the FCI to move the grains out of these two States at the earliest.
• During 2020-21, relaxed norms for shrivelled and broken wheat were allowed up to
  • 16% in Punjab,
  • 12% in Uttar Pradesh and
  • 10% in Haryana

Does This Loss in Procurement Harm The Public Distribution System?

• FCI has maintained that the reserves have 23 mt of wheat against the prescribed norm of 7mt (on April 1).
• This will provide the cushion against low procurement of wheat this season and also ensure that food and nutritional security of the vulnerable groups aren’t jeopardised.

Conclusion

• Due to “drastic decline” in wheat arrivals across the State, Punjab Government has announced that closure of procurement centres shall start in a phased manner from May 5. This puts farmers in a helpless state and an early decision regarding this procurement would provide much needed relief to them.

Source: The Hindu BL

Mains Question

Q) What is the issue of shrivelled wheat grains? How can the centre alleviate the conditions of the farmers regarding this issue ?