**Policy Summary: Government Measures to Manage Essential Food Item Prices**
In response to concerns regarding the prices of essential food items, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution addressed Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1725 on July 30, 2025. The Ministry, through the Department of Consumer Affairs, monitors the daily prices of 38 essential food commodities, including rice, pulses, onions, and tomatoes, using data from 566 price monitoring centers nationwide. According to the provided data, the prices of these commodities are currently stable and under control.
The government employs several strategies to manage food inflation, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) regularly reviews the production and availability of essential commodities, suggesting measures to increase domestic production and imports as needed. To address price volatility, the government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onions, strategically releasing them to moderate market prices. During 2023-24 and 2024-25, pulses from the buffer stock were processed into dals and sold at affordable prices under the "Bharat Dal" brand. Similarly, atta and rice are distributed under the "Bharat" brand at subsidized rates. In September-December 2024, onions from the buffer were released in a targeted manner to key consumption centers, both at wholesale markets and through retail outlets, at a price of Rs. 35 per kg via stationary retail outlets and mobile vans. Export restrictions on sugar are in place to ensure domestic availability, and the prices of edible oils are closely monitored to ensure affordability.
The strategic buffer stock is used for targeted interventions during periods of price increases, with the timing and quantity of releases adjusted to prevailing market conditions. These measures have contributed to making essential food commodities available at affordable prices, resulting in a year-on-year food inflation rate of 1.06% in June 2025, the lowest since January 2019. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri B.L. Verma, provided the response to the Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: The Indian government ministry responsible for consumer affairs, food, and public distribution.
Department of Consumer Affairs: A department within the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, responsible for monitoring prices and consumer protection.
SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S: A member of Lok Sabha who raised a question about the prices of essential food items.
DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY: A member of Lok Sabha who raised a question about the prices of essential food items.
SHRI B.L. VERMA: The Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
Inter-Ministerial Committee IMC: A committee that reviews the production and availability of essential commodities and suggests measures to enhance availability.
Bharat Dal: A brand under which pulses from the buffer stock were converted to dals and sold at affordable prices.
Bharat brand: A brand under which atta and rice are distributed to retail consumers at subsidized prices.
Government of India
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Department of Consumer Affairs
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1725
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025
PRICES OF ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS
1725. SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S:
DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC
DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the steep rise in prices of essential food items such as rice,
pulses, onions and tomatoes, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to curb food inflation, particularly in urban and semi-
urban areas of the country;
(c) whether the Government plans to release additional stocks from the buffer to stabilize prices; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI B.L. VERMA)
(a) : Department of Consumer Affairs monitors the daily prices of 38 essential food commodities
including rice, pulses, onions and tomatoes submitted by the 566 price monitoring centres across the country.
As per the data, prices of essential food commodities are stable and under control.
(b) : Government keeps a close watch on the production and availability of essential commodities through
regular reviews by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC). The Committee reviews, on regular basis, the
situation of prices and price trends of essential agri-horticulture commodities and suggests measures to
enhance availability through increased domestic production and through imports.
In order to tackle the volatility in prices, government maintains buffer stocks of pulses and onion for
market interventions through calibrated and targeted release to moderate the prices in the market. Part of the
stock of pulses from the buffer were converted to dals for retail sale to the consumers at affordable prices
under the Bharat Dal brand during 2023-24 and 2024-25. Similarly, atta and rice are distributed to retail
consumers under Bharat brand at subsidized prices. Onion from the buffer had been released during
September to December, 2024 in a calibrated and targeted manner to moderate prices in high price consuming
centres at wholesale markets and through retail outlets. Onions were distributed among retail consumers at
Rs.35 per kg through stationary retail outlets and mobile vans in major consumption centres. The government
restricts the export of sugar to ensure domestic availability and is closely monitoring the prices of edible oils
and take necessary measures to make these commodities affordable to the consumers.These measures have helped in making essential food commodities available to the general
consumers at affordable prices and helped in bring down the year-on-year food inflation rate to (-) 1.06% in
June, 2025, which is the lowest after January 2019.
(c) & (d) : Strategic buffer stock is maintained for disposal in situation of price rise with the quantity and
timing of intervention aligned to prevailing market conditions.
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