New Delhi (PTI): The Left parties will hold a protest in Parliament next week to demand restoration of the rice and wheat quota under Public Distribution System (PDS) in Kerala and West Bengal.

Claiming that the rice quota for Kerala and wheat quota for West Bengal had been drastically reduced by the Union Agriculture Ministry, party leader Basudeb Acharia on wednesday said the move would not only disrupt the PDS but adversely affect the above poverty line (APL) category of consumers.

"The wheat quota for West Bengal has suddenly and abruptly been slashed from 1.22 lakh metric tonnes to only 62,000 MT, that is almost 50 per cent," he said, adding that the rice quota for Kerala had also been slashed by 80 per cent.

He said the Left parties would hold protests both inside and outside the Parliament on March 18.