NEW DELHI: The Government should buy adequate quantities of wheat to feed the public distribution system, otherwise it may end up having to import wheat at far higher prices than what is being paid to Indian farmers, the Bharatiya Janata Party said here on Saturday.

Referring to reports that private companies are offering farmers higher prices for wheat and that government procurement may be slow, party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar warned that the Government should avoid last year's situation when it had to import wheat at prices far higher than what it had offered to Indian farmers during the procurement season. Currently the Government was offering farmers Rs. 850 a quintal as the minimum support price, but later, if there are shortages the country may have to import at Rs. 1200 a quintal. The BJP's advice was that even if it has to pay more than Rs. 850 a quintal the Government should buy now to meet its PDS requirements.

Retail leve

The party said that there was no reason for the Government to rejoice over the slight fall in the wholesale price index after four long months. On the ground, that is, at the retail level, people were still paying high pries. There was no let-up in inflation as prices of all essential items like wheat and flour, rice and sugar, tea and pulses and cooking oil were high.

Import of pulses

On import of pulses, Mr. Javadekar said that last year 18 lakh tonnes were imported and this year the Government plans to import 15 lakh tonnes. This may not be adequate because demand fluctuates as a result of income levels.

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