News Capsule: Strong Buffer Stocks And Record Pulse Procurement Keep Food Market Comfortable: Nidhi Khare
26-May-2026 01:22 PM
News Capsule: Strong Buffer Stocks And Record Pulse Procurement Keep Food Market Comfortable: Nidhi Khare
★ Despite ongoing global geopolitical tensions and the Middle East crisis, India’s food supply chain has not faced any major disruption. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said there is unlikely to be any sharp rise in food prices over the next 2-3 months, although higher fuel prices could increase transportation costs and indirectly impact commodities.
★ The government is monitoring prices of around 40 essential food items daily, including cereals, pulses, edible oils, sugar, vegetables and spices, and prices currently remain stable. According to Khare, strong production, comfortable buffer stocks and record procurement of tur and chana have kept the overall situation comfortable.
★ On pulses, she said the rise in prices towards MSP levels after harvest season is part of the normal seasonal cycle. The government has built strong buffer stocks during years of good production, which will be released into the market whenever required.
★ The government has also developed predictive models using over 20 years of data to forecast food price trends for the next 2-3 months.
★ Speaking on future risks, Khare said the biggest concern remains a possible El Niño impact, especially on vegetables and kharif onion crops. However, favourable rainfall projections for June and July suggest the overall situation remains manageable for now.
★ On edible oils, she acknowledged a marginal rise in prices but said strong mustard production this year should help ease supply pressure. The government is also promoting kharif pulses such as urad and tur to reduce dependence on fertilisers.
Source - Economic Times