No question of shortage, food items are in surplus: Officials

Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar examines grapes at the fruit market on Huskur Road outside Electronics City. DH PHOTO/AKHIL KADIDAL 

Allaying citizens' fears of food shortage, state agriculture officials have said they have surplus stock of farm produce.

“Enough stock of vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses and other commodities are available, all of which are being rapidly sold off. In fact, if anything, there is a surplus of produce,” said Karee Gowda, director, Department of Agricultural Marketing.

APMC figures available from April 2 reveal that the state has a surplus of 2,827 quintals of fruits, as 16,827 quintals have been sold out of 19,594 quintals available on that day.

Of the 148,343 quintals of fresh serials, 96,272 quintals were sold, with a total balance of 27,77,850 quintals remaining.

Similarly, the state had 30,247 quintals of fresh pulses, of which 23,585 quintals have been sold, leaving a surplus of 9,662 quintals.

Understandably so, vegetables have been sold the maximum. Of 92,135 quintals available, 98,761 quintals were sold, leaving 67,018 quintals with the APMC stocks. “This is the latest data available,” Gowda said.

But the surplus is gathering since some of the produce is not made available to the general population, especially in Bengaluru.

Cooperation minister S T Somashekar said a meeting between the horticulture department officials, BBMP and Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) could allow direct supply of the agriculture produce to the apartments.

“In Bengaluru, there are about 1,400 apartments. The plan is to start supplying the apartments within corporation limits,” Somashekar said. He added that fruits and vegetables could be sold in KMF booths following an initiative announced on Friday after a high-level meeting.

“Alongside dairy products, food and vegetables can also be sold. We also want to offer products for sale at RO water units across the city. This, we think, will reduce the surplus of produce that is going to waste and help prop up the plummeting price of agricultural goods,” the minister said.

Agriculture officials said erroneous media reports have triggered a fall in prices. “One of the most egregious was a false report, which claimed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus existed on watermelons,” said an official. “Consequently, the price of watermelon plummeted to Rs 2.”

Somashekar also pointed to the need for price control to prevent 'curfew profiteering'. A visit to the Yeshwantpur market revealed that tomato was selling at the wholesale price of Rs 2. “But it was selling for Rs 6 to Rs 8 at Electronics City,” the minister said.