Government paddy orders hit by weather woes, storage restrictions | Today’s news
New Delhi: The government’s purchases of paddy fields from farmers fell by more than a fifth from a year earlier, hurt by erratic weather and slow evacuation of purchased grain from some key paddy-producing areas due to storage constraints early in the buying phase, according to three people familiar with the development.
Between October 1 and 28, government agencies, including the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies buying on its behalf, bought 13 million tonnes of paddy, down from 16.9 million tonnes a year earlier, the people said earlier, speaking on condition of anonymity.
However, farmers and traders expect purchases to pick up in the coming days as the weather continues to improve. The government has set a paddy procurement target of 71.95 mt for the 2026-27 Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), essentially unchanged from last year’s target of 72 mt, despite a weaker monsoon this year and lower acreage.
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According to data checked by Mint, in the ongoing KMS 2026-27 season, Punjab emerged as the leading state in paddy procurement, with 8.86 million tonnes purchased as of October 28, followed by Haryana with 3.60 million tonnes and Tamil Nadu with 418,987 tonnes. Among other contributing states, Uttarakhand recorded paddy purchases of 81,681 tonnes. According to the Central Food Grains Procurement Portal, procurement levels in all these leading states were higher during the last procurement season.
For KMS 2026-27, the government has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for procurement of common grade paddy at ₹2,441 per quintal, more than ₹2,369 per quintal in the previous season. MSP for Class A paddy has been corrected to ₹2,461 per cent.
Queries emailed to the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution and the Food Corporation of India remained unanswered till press time.
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Experts attributed the drop in buying to poor weather and initial hiccups in picking up produce at the start of the buying season.
“Purchasing activities in Punjab have been disrupted due to patchy rainfall which has increased the moisture content of the crop and forced farmers to postpone harvesting. Initially, grain lifting was also a problem which has been resolved. However, the condition of the crop is good this year and purchasing is expected to pick up in the coming days,” said Harchand Singh Barsat, Chairman, Punjab Agriculture Marketing Board.
The government plans to procure around 18 million tonnes of paddy from Punjab during the 2026-27 KMS, making the state the largest contributor to the Centre’s procurement programme, according to state estimates reviewed by Mint. Chhattisgarh is expected to contribute around 10.9 million tonnes, followed by Odisha with 6.4 million tonnes, Uttar Pradesh with 6.2 million tonnes and Haryana with 5.8 million tonnes. With 5.7 million tonnes, Telangana is expected to be a major contributor to the central supply pool.
Read also | A weak monsoon may reduce paddy area, raising concerns about rice production and inflation
“The lower procurement levels can be attributed mainly to the patchy and erratic weather conditions prevailing in the North-West region including Punjab. The adverse weather patterns have affected the harvesting and subsequent arrival of the crops in the Mandis, thereby impacting the overall procurement operations. Variations in weather conditions have created challenges for farmers as well as procurement agencies, resulting in a slower pace of procurement compared to with anticipation as expected L Chandkkucha expected to arrive in the market.food, civil supplies and consumer affairs of Punjab.
The North West region comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan fell during 1–21. October 6% above the normal amount of precipitation. Against the normal rainfall of 18.9 mm for the period, the region recorded 20 mm of actual rainfall, which delayed the arrival of the harvest.
Despite a 3.5% decline in rice acreage, or a loss of 1.55 million hectares, amid rainfall deficits and concerns over El Niño, the government has set a target of 71.95 million tonnes of rice in 2026-27, signaling confidence in sufficient rice supplies for domestic consumption and meeting the country’s food security needs. Rice is a key component of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). The government has procured 81 million tonnes of paddy against a target of 72 million tonnes last year.
“Despite some initial hiccups, procurement operations are now running smoothly. With a bumper crop expected this season, procurement is likely to pick up momentum in the coming days as harvest and market arrivals pick up pace,” said Tarsem Singh Saini, president of the All India Rice Millers’ Association.
The country’s food stocks remain well above the prescribed buffer norms, providing a cushion to meet food security requirements. As of October 1, 2026, rice stocks in the central pool stood at 37.76 million tonnes, against the prescribed reserve norm of 10.25 million tonnes.
