Govt should allow export of foodgrains: CIFA.

New Delhi, (PTI) Amid availability of large stocks of rice and wheat, the government should allow the export of foodgrains to needy people in Africa and other countries, the Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) today said.
"The government should immediately start exports of food stocks to the needy people in Africa and other countries," farmers'' body CIFA said in a letter written to the Prime Minister.

Foodgrains can be used as a political advantage in the United Nations Organisation and other international programmes, it said welcoming a suggestion by Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu on the export of foodgrains like wheat.

Foodgrains play a major role not only in earning foreign exchange, but also in garnering goodwill for India among poor nations and the international community, it added.

The government had banned the export of wheat in February, 2007, and rice in April, 2008, over food inflation concerns.
At present, government godowns have stocks of 57.8 million tonnes of foodgrains, against the buffer norm of 31.9 million tonnes.

The dearth of storage capacity has not only resulted in grains rotting in godowns, but also not being channelised to the market, which is causing hardship for the common man.

Also, farmers are not able to get remunerative prices for their produce as the only channel for sales is the government procurement agencies, CIFA observed.

It further said the government should come up with a long-term plan on foodgrains production, buffer stock holding and exports.

Source : news.in.msn.com