BHUBANESWAR: The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) is all set to market the ‘Bharat’ brand of atta (wheat flour) at a maximum retail price of Rs 27.50 per kilogram in the state from next week.The regional office of NAFED has already tied up with two flour mills of the state for supplying wheat flour under Bharat brand to be marketed in the state capital in the first phase.
“Seven flour mills of the state have submitted their expression of interest for manufacturing atta to be marketed by NAFED. We are in advanced talks to finalise the agreement,” NAFED regional manager Bhavya Anand told The New Indian Express.
Wheat available to NAFED under open market sale scheme will be supplied to the millers for converting to atta and offer it for sale to the public under ‘Bharat Atta’ brand, she added. The specially subsidised atta will be made available across the state as and when more flour mills will come forward to join the scheme.
Anand said Bharat Atta will be available through NAFED outlets and mobile vans. The number of vans to be pressed into service will depend of the demand of the public for the brand of atta. As atta price has almost doubled in the state in the last few months, Bharat Atta will come as a relief to the consumers.
Standard wheat flour which was selling at Rs 22 a kg a couple of months back is now being sold at Rs 45 a kg.The NAFED state head said the Centre has allocated 2.5 lakh tonne wheat under the open market sale scheme at Rs 21.50 per kg to organisations like Kendriya Bhandar, NCCF, and NAFED for conversion into atta and selling it under the Bharat Atta brand. The objective is to stabilise the prices of the essential item. Additionally, NAFED is also selling ‘Bharat Dal’ (Chana dal) at Rs 60 a kg and onions at Rs 25 a kg through NAFED, and NCCF, ensuring affordable prices for consumers. This market intervention of the Centre has put a check on the rising prices of the two commodities.