FCI made Punjab a Silos hub; built 5 Silos in Punjab

FCI made Punjab a Silos hub; built 5 Silos in Punjab

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in

In a written reply by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Danve Raosaheb Dadarao in the ongoing budget session of Lok Sabha has revealed on February 9,2021 that “Food Corporation of India (FCI) has taken 11 silos with capacity of 7.75 LMT on rent/lease/agreement to store foodgrains, in six states. “

As per the food corporation of India (FCI), which procure wheat, paddy, and coarse grains, in the country, out of 10 silos (as one is non functional), 5 silos are in Punjab. Out of the total all India storage capacity of 7.75 metric tonnes (MTs), Punjab alone has a major share of 4.25 MT, s

Besides, Punjab and Haryana, MP, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan are major producers of wheat and paddy. But FCI has made or not taken any silos on rent in UP,MP, Rajasthan.

FCI buys food grains from farmers and stores them in silos built through a public-private partnership. While private players are paid a fee for building and storing the food grains, the ownership of the commodity as well as its marketing and distribution rights, belong to FCI.

The farmers are also agitating on this point that the legislations were brought to favour corporate giants, Ambani and Adani.  Adani Group is in a business of making silos and has said “it neither buys food grains from farmers nor decides the pricing of food grains, it only develops and operates grain silos for Food Corporation of India (FCI), as per their requirement“. Adani had built a Silo in Punjab, too.

The details of silos taken on rent/lease/agreement and their location, district-wise and state-wise is as follows-

Silos taken on Rent/Lease/Agreement to store food grains by Food Corporation of India

February 15,2021