87 million tonnes. But the failure of the monsoon this season, on which 60 percent of Indian agriculture depends, has cast a shadow on this year's crop.

In this context, Chidambaram noted that the government had 'huge' stocks of foodgrains to last 13 months.

Asked whether the government was considering another waiver of farmer's loans, he replied: 'I am only the former finance minister. I don't know.'

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has already ruled out another waiver -- after the Rs.70,000 crore loans written off early last year to benefit some four million small and marginal farmers.

Referring to the steps being taken to prevent hoarding, Chidambaram said that though the issue was on the concurrent list, 'the suggestion is that the states do it'.

De-hoarding operations, he noted, 'follow stock limits being placed'.

'I must point to the good work of the Madhya Pradesh government some ago in de-hoarding 30,000 tonnes of sugar,' Chidambaram added.