India’s foodgrain reserves in the Central Pool surged to a record high of 122 million tonnes (mt) as of June 1.Equal to the country’s entire annual rice consumption, this massive stockpile gives the government a critical buffer just as El Nino risks disrupting the 2026 kharif crop.
Given that the country’s free foodgrain schemes for over 80 crore beneficiaries require an annual offtake of 56 mt (based on 2025-26 data), the current reserves are sufficient to comfortably sustain these welfare programmes for at least two years.
