Next e-auction of FCI wheat under open market sale scheme to bulk consumers to be held on Feb 15: Govt

New Delhi, February 4

The next e-auction for the sale of FCI wheat to bulk consumers like flour millers under the open market sale scheme (OMSS) will be held on February 15, the Food Ministry said on Saturday.

State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been mandated to sell 25 lakh tonnes of wheat from its buffer stock to bulk consumers under the OMSS in order to contain rising prices of wheat and wheat products in the country.

The first sale of wheat through e-auction was held on February 1-2. About 9.2 lakh tonnes of wheat was sold from FCI depots in 23 states. The plan was to hold a weekly e-auction every Wednesday.

However, in a statement, the Food Ministry said: “The second sale of wheat through e-auction will be held throughout the country on February 15 on Wednesday.”

This means the FCI will not hold e-auction of wheat next week and the ministry has not cited reasons for not holding the auction.

Meanwhile, the FCI has directed all winning bidders of the first e-auction to remit the cost and lift the stock immediately from depots concerned across the country and make the same available in respective markets in order to further contain the prices.

“The prices are set to fall further after the wheat sold in the e-auction is lifted and atta is made available in the market,” it added.

Wheat is being offered at a reserve price of Rs 2,350 per quintal plus freight charges.