The Centre has fixed kharif rice procurement target at 485 lakh tonnes for the 2024-25 marketing year starting October and asked states to focus on increasing purchases of coarse cereals.In the current 2023-24 marketing year (October-September), the government procured 463 lakh tonnes of kharif rice.
Paddy is grown in both kharif and rabi seasons. State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) is the government's nodal agency for procurement and distribution of foodgrains.Union Food Secretary on Friday chaired a meeting with State Food Secretaries and FCI to "discuss arrangements for procurement of crops in ensuing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25", an official statement said. Various factors impacting procurement such as weather forecast, production estimates, and readiness of states for procurement operations were reviewed during the meeting."After deliberations, the estimates for paddy procurement (Kharif crop) during ensuing KMS 2024-25 have been fixed at 485 lakh tonnes in terms of rice compared to procurement of 463 lakh tonnes (Kharif crop) during KMS 2023-24," the statement said.The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary/Secretary (Food) of states/Union Territories as well as officers from FCI, IMD and Department of Agriculture.
