‘Avoid panic buying; India has enough food, fertiliser, fuel stocks': Centre

Hindustan Times

09-05-2025

India has sufficient stocks of all essential commodities — food, fertilisers to fuel — as supply lines have been functioning seamlessly across the country without any impact on prices, officials said on Friday after holding a meeting with states.
There's no disruption in rail, road and air cargo, and price levels of key items are stable in nearly 500 markets, which are being replenished daily, the official said, urging consumers, especially in northern states, not to panic.
'IndianOil has ample fuel stocks across the country and our supply lines are operating smoothly. There is no need for panic buying — fuel and LPG is readily available at all our outlets,' the country's largest gasoline retailer Indian Oil Corporation said on social media platform X.
On Friday, an interministerial panel reviewed availability of goods, such as fertilisers and cereals, as millions of farmers prepare to plant a slew of kharif or summer-sown crops critical to food security in the world's most populous nation.
This followed a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with top bureaucrats heading various departments to ensure price and stock stability.
Following India's missile strikes on Pakistan in retaliation to terror attacks in Pahalgam attack, the government has been in touch with major agricultural produce market committees to ensure there's no profiteering, a second official said.
The government will invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to maintain supplies if the need arises.
'During Covid-19, the government declared some items as essential under the ESMA. So, if there's a need, the government will not hesitate to take similar measures as we go along. Right now, supplies and prices are stable. There's no need to create panic,' the first official said.
In some northern areas, such as Jammu, Jaipur and Srinagar, there have been reports of people hoarding goods fearing shortages due to the ongoing war efforts.
'Government agencies have just procured over 25 million tonnes of wheat. (Federally held) stocks are plentiful. There's no report of any shortage,' a food ministry official said.
India launched the precision strikes in the early hours of Wednesday, hitting locations in Pakistan, followed by what the defence ministry termed as 'escalation' by the neighbouring country. Pakistan responded by firing drones and missiles at Indian locations, which defence minister Rajnath Singh said was 'fully neutralised' by Indian forces.
India has a massive total stock of 66.17 million tonnes of food grains, said Rahul Chauhan of iGrain Pvt Ltd, a firm that deals in agricultural commodities.