To keep prices in check and to meet domestic demand, India had a surplus stock of rice and wheat in the central pool, well above buffer norms as on 1 July 2025, the union ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution has announced.
India had a stock of 37.78 million metric tons (MT) of rice against a buffer norm of 13.54 million MT. Similarly, wheat stocks on 1 July were recorded at 35.88 million MT against a target of 27.58 million MT. The combined stocks for wheat and rice were 73.66 million MT, higher than the buffer of 41.12 million MT.
Financial media reports said India’s rice stocks in government warehouses rose 15% from a year ago to a record high for the start of July, while wheat stocks reached a four-year peak driven by increased farmer procurement.
According to Union minister of state Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, to moderate market prices and enhance the availability of food grains, the government sells the surplus stocks under the open market sales scheme (domestic) after meeting the requirements of the public distribution system (PDS) and other welfare schemes.
These measures help increase the availability of food grains in the market, control inflation, ensure food security and make food grains more affordable for the general population, she said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 22 July.
The minister said the government launched Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice in 2023 and 2024, respectively, to provide wheat flour and rice to general consumers at subsidized rates.
To manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and speculation, the government had imposed limits on wheat stock. The limits are applicable to traders, wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors in all states and union territories.
The stocks would boost exports and help state-run Food Corporation of India lower its robust reserves and free up space ahead of the next harvest season.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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