Performance Appraisal of Food Corporation of India (FCI)

Abstract

The food economy today faces a problem of plenty. After the establishment of the Food Corporation of India, there was a continuous increase in the stock of foodgrains, improvement in the procurement systems and widely distribution of foodgrains. The FCI has been functioning as a major instrument of Government's food policy in achieving the objectives of procurement, storage and distribution. The FCI acquires and procures on behalf of the Central and the State Governments, sizeable portion of the marketable surplus at incentive prices from the farmers. The importance and role of the FCI in the economic development of a nation is being recognized all over the country. To play a vital role in the country's food economy the FCI has been progressively diversifying its activities in the field of agro-processing. The FCI adopts scientific methods and procedures based on national and international practices for enforcing quality control in respect of imported and indigenously procured foodgrains to ensure supply of healthy foodgrains to the consumer. It has also made remarkable progress in building up and holding a sizeable buffer stock. The Indian Government had always patronized this Corporation, as it expects that the Food Corporation of India will do away with many of the drawbacks of the Indian economy. There is a great need for the active participation of FCI in the economic development of the nation.