Staff Correspondent:

The government on Thursday reported that 17.64 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat were stored in various warehouses of the country on 1 July, marking an increase of about three lakh tonnes from the same period last year.

The Ministry of Food said that the total stock of rice and wheat in the country was 14.73 lakh tonnes on 1 July last year.

At the time, rice stock was 10.60 lakh tonnes while wheat stock was 4.13 lakh tonnes, said a statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Thursday.

On 1 July this year, which marks the beginning of a new fiscal year, rice stock increased to 15.41 lakh tonnes.

Wheat stock decreased to 2.23 lakh tonnes as distribution was higher than the total procurement of wheat from domestic sources and import.