News Capsule: Kharif Season 2025–26: Rice Procurement Up 6%, Sharp Rebound in March
03-Apr-2026 11:14 AM
News Capsule: Kharif Season 2025–26: Rice Procurement Up 6%, Sharp Rebound in March
★ During the 2025–26 kharif marketing season (October–March), the Indian government procured 463.06 lakh tonnes of rice, about 6% higher than last year. After a 17% decline in February, procurement surged nearly 10 times in March, crossing 21 lakh tonnes.
★ The government has revised the total procurement target for the season to 487 lakh tonnes. For the rabi season (April–September), a target of 79.57 lakh tonnes has been set, with the highest procurement expected from Telangana.
★ At the state level, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh recorded strong growth in procurement, while Punjab saw a decline of around 10%. In Uttar Pradesh, procurement rose by 8% to 41.75 lakh tonnes.
★ Rice production is also estimated to increase, with kharif output projected at 123.93 million tonnes.
★ Overall, higher government procurement has supported the market, although performance remains uneven across states.