India�s rice procurement under the central pool for the 2024�25 marketing year (October 2024 to September 2025) has seen a nearly 4% increase in the first 11 months. From October 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025, the total procurement stood at 545.22 lakh tonnes, compared to 525.22 lakh tonnes during the same period in 2023�24. Given the higher-than-expected procurement and elevated stock levels, the government is now planning a roadmap for early disposal of surplus rice to avoid storage pressure and maintain market stability. FCI Allows Direct Purchase by Traders To facilitate better offloading of stock, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has already permitted traders to directly purchase rice at the reserve price from any of its depots, with a minimum quantity of 1 tonne. The government is also considering increasing supply through other schemes to manage the growing inventory. Procurement Figures: Kharif and Rabi Seasons Kharif procurement: 474 lakh tonnes (paddy equivalent in rice) Rabi procurement: 71 lakh tonnes Government target: 511.57 lakh tonnes (Kharif) + 73.23 lakh tonnes (Rabi) Procurement is progressing well against set targets. State-wise Procurement Highlights Tamil Nadu: Total procurement: 28.26 lakh tonnes Target: 28.24 lakh tonnes � Achieved and exceeded Telangana: 2023�24 procurement: 63.86 lakh tonnes 2024�25 procurement: 71.25 lakh tonnes Rabi target: 35 lakh tonnes � Exceeded Andhra Pradesh: Total procurement: 25.60 lakh tonnes Rabi target: 10 lakh tonnes � Achieved Odisha: Total procurement: 50.12 lakh tonnes Rabi target: 10 lakh tonnes � Achieved Other Major States (2024�25 Procurement): Punjab: 116.13 lakh tonnes Uttar Pradesh: 38.66 lakh tonnes Haldia (West Bengal region): 36.17 lakh tonnes Madhya Pradesh: 29.16 lakh tonnes Bihar: 26.28 lakh tonnes West Bengal: 19.91 lakh tonnes Chhattisgarh reported a slight decline, with 78 lakh tonnes procured this year compared to 83 lakh tonnes last year � a drop of 5 lakh tonnes. The increase in rice procurement reflects strong participation from farmers and effective procurement mechanisms. However, with surplus stocks building up, the government is now actively working on strategies for efficient disposal � including open market sales, increased supply to welfare schemes, and potential export opportunities � to avoid storage bottlenecks and maintain price stability. The government is expected to roll out targeted measures soon to offload excess stocks ahead of the next procurement season.