India Sets Ambitious Rice Procurement Target for Kharif Season

The Indian government is gearing up for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26, having set an ambitious rice procurement target of 464.50 lakh tonnes. This decision came after a meeting chaired by Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Monday, involving Food Secretaries from States/UTs and Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials.

Convened by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, the meeting focused on laying the groundwork for the upcoming procurement season starting in October. Discussions particularly emphasized the importance of grain diversity, as the target for coarse grains and millets, or Shree Anna, was set at 19.19 lakh tonnes.

States and Union Territories were encouraged to prioritize millet procurement to not only diversify agricultural practices but also enhance nutritional value in diets. The Food Secretaries and FCI representatives reviewed strategies to ensure efficient crop procurement processes that meet these objectives.

(With inputs from agencies.)