The Tamil Nadu government today demanded continued delisting of essential commodities from the futures marketing as they were "facing volatile price changes".
It also sought more pro-farmer measures such as the Farmers Market Concept which would enable the peasants to sell their produce directly to the consumer.
"There is a general view that futures market is good as it helps in price discovery (a process of determining the price of an asset in the marketplace).
"But it may not be appropriate for us to include the essential commodities like rice, pulses, edible oil at this stage as these commodities are facing volatile price changes due to uncertainty on the supply side," Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin said.
He was speaking at the first meeting of the working group of Consumer Affairs in New Delhi, a copy of which was released by the state government here.
Stalin said the Centre had banned trading of essential commodities in Futures market on the request of various states including Tamil Nadu. "The Working Group may recommend that these commodities should continue to be delisted from the futures market."
Stressing the need to reduce gap between the farm gate and retail prices, he recalled the DMK government's 'Farmers-Market' (Uazhavar Sandhai) concept where the farmers directly sell their produce to the consumers by eliminating middle men.
These markets had benefited the farmers and consumers besides stabilising the prices of vegetables and fruits. The working group may recommend to Government of India to set up farmers' market in all the states on the lines of Uzhavar Sandhai in Tamil Nadu and Ryot Bazzar in Andhra Pradesh.
The Union Government is likely to come out with a specific programme to fund the promotion of such markets, he said.
Highlighting the need for strengthening the Public Distribution System, he said it would help in controlling prices of essential commodities. "Tamil Nadu is procuring foodgrains through TN Civil Supplies Corporation for distribution under PDS. Pulses is one of the essential commodities supplied under this system. Inadequate availability leads to high price which adversely affects the nutritional status of our people.
"Government of India should create a minimum buffer stock of pulses as we do in case of rice and wheat in Public Distribution System," he added.
