
India's foodgrain stocks swell—lens on effective management
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: India’s foodgrain stocks have surged well above its buffer norms, strengthening the country’s cushion against supply shocks and global price swings. Government data shows central pool reserves were at 60.48 million tonnes (mt) as on 1 April—nearly three times the mandate—fanning a debate over how best to manage surplus stocks to benefit both farmers and consumers.The latest data marks a strong recovery from 33.2 mt stock in 2023 and 37.65 mt in 2024, when food grain inventories had tightened.
Experts attribute the sharp increase to favourable weather during the 2025 rabi season and government's aggressive procurement strategies to stabilize the domestic market.Government data reveals a robust recovery in wheat reserves and a record-breaking accumulation of rice. Wheat reserves had hit a decade-low of 7.5 mt in April 2024, and the current stock is now at 21.79 mt, 85% higher than the year-ago level of 11.79 mt and nearly three times the operational buffer norm of 7.46 mt.Rice reserves have also hit historic highs, with the stocks at 38.61 mt, way higher than the buffer norm of 13.58 mt.Beyond the comfort of having robust food stock, the huge inventory situation also raises concerns around rising storage costs and potential wastage, bringing the urgency to expand distribution and export channels.
Read on livemint.com