Government has decided to temporarily discontinue rice fortification under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes. This decision was taken after a study by IIT Kharagpur showed that prolonged rice storage for distribution under the scheme is rendering the effective shelf life shorter and, in turn, limiting the intended nutritional outcomes.
What is Food fortification?
- It is the practice of deliberately increasing the micronutrient content i.e., vitamins and minerals, in a food to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply.
Regulation and Initiatives:
- FSSAI’s Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018, Supply of fortified food under Food Safety Net programs, PM-POSHAN Scheme etc.
- All the custom-milled rice distributed under PMGKAY and other food safety net programs was replaced with FR by March 2024 for distribution till December 2028.
- Fortified Food: Wheat flour and rice (with Iron, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid), milk and edible oil (with Vitamins A and D) and double fortified salt (with Iodine and Iron).
What is significance of food fortification?
- Address micronutrient deficiencies: India has a very high burden of micronutrient deficiencies caused by Vitamin A, Iodine, Iron and Folic Acid leading to Night Blindness, Goitre, Anaemia and various birth defects.
- Economic: Copenhagen Consensus estimates that every 1 rupee spent on fortification results in 9 rupees in benefits to the economy.
Background: Study by IIT Kharagpur
The Government assigned a study to IIT Kharagpur to assess the shelf life of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) and Fortified Rice (FR) under actual storage conditions across diverse agro-climatic zones of India.
Key Findings of the Study
The report highlighted that the stability and shelf life of fortified rice are critically influenced by:
- Moisture content
- Storage conditions
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- Packaging material
It was found that:
- FRK and FR are susceptible to micronutrient reduction during prolonged storage.
- Routine handling further shortens effective shelf life.
- The effective nutritional value becomes lower than expected over time.
- This compromises the intended nutritional outcomes.
Storage Concerns
Rice procurement and storage cycles further aggravate the issue:
- Rice often remains in storage for 2–3 years.
- Annual allocation under PMGKAY and allied schemes: 372 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT).
- Total projected availability in the central pool: 674 LMT, including receipts from KMS 2025–26.
Given such high stock levels and long storage durations, nutrient degradation becomes a major concern.