Foodgrain Stock in Central Pool Surpasses 772 Lakh Tonnes

08-May-2026 01:11 PM

New Delhi. Driven by the continuous procurement of Rabi wheat and the regular supply of rice by rice millers, the total foodgrain stock in the Central Pool surged to a record high of 772.50 lakh tonnes on May 1, 2026.

This figure represents an increase of 168.48 lakh tonnes over the stock of 604.02 lakh tonnes available on April 1, 2026, and an increase of 34.31 lakh tonnes over the stock of 738.19 lakh tonnes held on May 1, 2025. Prior to this, the Central Pool held foodgrain stocks of 578.72 lakh tonnes on May 1, 2024, and 555.34 lakh tonnes on May 1, 2023.

According to official statistics, compared to April, the foodgrain stock in the Central Pool at the beginning of May showed significant improvement: the rice stock rose from 386.10 lakh tonnes to 389.50 lakh tonnes, while the wheat stock surged from 217.92 lakh tonnes to 383 lakh tonnes. Consequently, the total government stock of foodgrains currently stands at approximately three times the minimum mandatory buffer requirement. On May 1, 2025, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) held a total foodgrain stock of 738.19 lakh tonnes, comprising 381.47 lakh tonnes of rice and 356.72 lakh tonnes of wheat.

Government procurement of wheat is currently ongoing in major producing states, while the marketing season for the procurement of Rabi paddy also formally commenced on April 1. Procurement operations have already begun in several states—including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh—a development expected to further boost the rice stock within the Central Pool.

Thus, a substantial increase in the stocks of both wheat and rice is anticipated in the coming days. This situation could potentially exacerbate storage-related challenges. The government will have to make special efforts to reduce this massive stock of food grains.