Central Foodgrain Stock Rises to 739.80 Lakh Tonnes as of July 1, 2025, Despite Slight Monthly Dip
Thanks to robust procurement of rice and wheat, the central foodgrain stock in India increased to 739.80 lakh tonnes as of July 1, 2025, marking a significant year-on-year rise. This is 131.05 lakh tonnes higher than the stock on July 1, 2024 (608.75 lakh tonnes), and 184.86 lakh tonnes more than the July 1, 2023 level of 554.94 lakh tonnes. However, it is slightly lower—by 9.38 lakh tonnes—compared to June 1, 2025, when the stock stood at 749.18 lakh tonnes. In the monthly comparison: Rice stock fell by 5.10 lakh tonnes, from 379.90 lakh tonnes in June 2025 to 374.80 lakh tonnes in July 2025. Wheat stock declined by 4.28 lakh tonnes, from 369.28 lakh tonnes to 365.00 lakh tonnes. Year-on-year comparison shows a strong gain: Rice stock in July 2025 is 48.66 lakh tonnes higher than 326.14 lakh tonnes in July 2024. Wheat stock rose significantly by 82.39 lakh tonnes compared to 282.61 lakh tonnes in July 2024. On the other hand, paddy stock has dropped to 198.90 lakh tonnes as of July 1, 2025. This is lower than both the June 2025 figure (322.55 lakh tonnes) and July 2024 (237.09 lakh tonnes). Government procurement of wheat ended on June 30, whereas procurement of rabi and summer paddy continues in some regions. Wheat procurement this year surpassed 300 lakh tonnes, and rice procurement is 1% higher than last year. The next round of paddy procurement is scheduled to start in October 2025, while wheat procurement will begin again around March-April 2026. The government maintains that there is sufficient foodgrain stock to meet all domestic requirements and ensure national food security. The availability of rice and wheat in the domestic market remains stable. Furthermore, the government plans to start wheat sales under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) from next month to ease market supply. However, the large rice stock may pose storage challenges in the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season (2025–26).