- The FCI on behalf of the government has been undertaking sale of wheat at predetermined prices/reserve prices in the open market from time to time to enhance market supply of foodgrains; to exercise a moderating influence on open market prices and to offload surplus stocks. Under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic), during the year 2014-15, 100 lakh tonnes of wheat has been allocated for sale in the domestic market.
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REVISION IN BUFFER STOCK NORMS (IN MILLION TONES) |
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| As on | Existing since April 2005 | Revised |
| 1 April | 21.2 | 21.04 |
| 1 July | 31.9 | 41.12 |
| 1 Oct. | 21.2 | 30.77 |
| 1 Jan. | 25.0 | 21.41 |
- The total capacity available for storage of food grains as on 30 November 2014 was 727 lakh MT, comprising covered go downs of 567 lakh MT capacity and cover and plinth (CAP) facilities of 160 lakh MT capacity.
- Currently 43 of the 113 commodities that are notified for futures trading are actively traded in 4 national exchanges and 6 commodity-specific exchanges.
- Share of agricultural commodities in the total turnover was 18.37% in 2014-15 (up to December 2014), with food items (refined soya oil, soyabean, chana, coriander and rapeseed/ mustard seed) contributing 50.01% of it. The remaining (81.63%) turnover was contributed by bullion, metals, and energy contracts.
- As per the World Trade Organization’s Trade Statistics, the shares of India’s agricultural exports and imports in world trade in 2013-14 were 2.69% and 1.31% respectively. Agricultural exports as a percentage of agricultural GDP have increased from 9.10% in 2008-09 to 05% in 2013-14. During the same period, agricultural imports as a percentage of agricultural GDP also increased from 3.94% to 5.50%.
