New Delhi: Prof. K.V. Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha that Futures trading does not impact the price or availability of any commodity in the short-term. But in the medium or long-term price discovery process facilitates strategic action by various stake holders including policy planners in government to augment production and imports in shortage situation and export and MSP operations during surplus situation, thereby helping the consumers and producers respectively as well as stabilize the prices. Thus, futures market helps the players in the real economy to plan their economic activities better and balance the demand-supply equation.