Wheat import is robbery: BJP

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Express news service Posted: Sep 04, 2007 at 2333 hrs IST

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New Delhi, september 4 : The Opposition BJP on Tuesday termed the latest wheat import order of the UPA Government “a shameless loot of the nation and betrayal of Indian farmers”. The Government had on Monday decided to import nearly 8 lakh tonnes of wheat at $390 per MT, which is Rs 15 per kg.

“The Government first rejected the tender which offered wheat at $263 per MT in June citing steep price. After 10 days, it changed its mind and ordered import of 5.7 lakh tonnes of wheat at $325 per MT.

“This wheat is yet to arrive. But the Government called for a third tender and has placed order for nearly 8 lakh tonnes at $390 per MT. This is daylight robbery,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javdekar said.

The BJP said the move has betrayed Indian farmers who are paid only Rs 850 per quintal, but through imports, foreign farmers are paid Rs 1,600 per quintal. “This is adding insult to the Indian farmer’s injury, who were demanding only Rs 1,100 per quintal,” he said.

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Javdekar said the Government’s argument of building up the required buffer stock do not hold for two reasons. “First, if it had agreed to the Rs 1,100 per quintal offer, enough procurement would have been made. Second, this year’s production is up by 50 lakh tonnes as compared to last year, thus raising no distress signals,” he said demanding that the Prime Minister explain how costly imports of wheat of unacceptable quality will help stabilise the price on one hand and deliver justice to Indian farmers on the other.

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