Editor’s Note
The government has announced procurement targets for key staples, aiming to secure 3.1 crore tonnes of wheat for the 2025-26 season and 70 lakh tonnes of paddy for the 2024-25 season. These figures, set by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, are central to national food security and market stability.
The central government has set a target to procure 3.1 crore tonnes (310 lakh metric tonnes) of wheat during the upcoming Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2025-26. Concurrently, the procurement target for paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 has been set at 70 lakh metric tonnes. This information emerged from a meeting chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD).
Food secretaries from various states and union territories participated in the meeting. Discussions focused on preparations for the procurement of wheat and paddy in the upcoming marketing seasons. The Secretary urged states to adopt a proactive approach to ensure maximum procurement.
The meeting involved detailed discussions on issues such as weather forecasts, crop production estimates, and states’ procurement readiness. States were advised to focus on procuring nutritious cereals (Shree Anna) to promote crop diversification and nutrition. An estimated procurement of about 16 lakh metric tonnes of coarse grains is anticipated during KMS 2024-25.
Several initiatives for improving the Public Distribution System (PDS) were also discussed in the meeting. These included issues like the TPDS Control Order, Smart PDS, e-KYC, Mapper SOP, and improvements to Jan Poshan Kendras. The Gujarat government shared information related to automation in the PDS supply chain.
Additionally, the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) provided information on the initiative for pledge financing against e-NWR (Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt). The Telangana government shared good practices related to the state’s foodgrain management system.
States were advised to maximize the use of warehouses created by PACS under the world’s largest grain storage scheme. Discussions were also held on the implementation of supply chain optimization.
The meeting was also attended by officials from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the India Meteorological Department, and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.