Sufficient stocks of foodgrains: Government

The government on Thursday said the country has sufficient stocks of foodgrains and the food and public distribution department has been asked to constantly monitor the prices of certain items that have risen slightly this week.

The government on Thursday said the country has sufficient stocks of foodgrains and the food and public distribution department has been asked to constantly monitor the prices of certain items that have risen slightly this week.

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India's annual food inflation fell slightly to 16.12 percent for the week ended June 5 from 16.55 percent in the previous week, even as the prices of milk, lentils and some other commodities were sharply costlier over a 52-week period.

Asked about the increased prices of wheat in Delhi despite a bumper crop during the current harvesting season, Minister of State for Agriculture said the food and public distribution department has been asked to "constantly watch" the situation.

"We have sufficient stocks of foodgrains. There is no need to panic," Thomas told reporters.

He said the rise in prices of certain foodgrains might be because of the "high Minimum Support Price (MSP) being given to the farmers".

The minister said the state governments should also take steps to control the price rise.

The issue of food inflation would be discussed at a meeting here of the state food secretaries June 21-22, Thomas said.