India has achieved 99 per cent of its rice procurement target of 575.52 lakh tonnes (lt) so far. It is 5 per cent higher than the year-ago level. As the new marketing season begins from October 1, the government may have to fast-dispose of its stocks before the next purchase for the 2026-27 marketing season staring October 1.
The fall in paddy acreage is a marginal 2 per cent so far, creating hope of another bumper harvest, unless there is large monsoon deficiency during August-September.
The government fixed the rice purchase target at 485.95 lt from the kharif-grown crop and 89.57 lt from the rabi season during the 2025-26 season (October-September). Total procurement in 2024-25 from both kharif and rabi crops was 545.22 lt in terms of rice.
