Lok Sabha Question No. 2630 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Record Kharif Rice Output
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Thiru Dayanidhi Maran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2630

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## RECORD KHARIF RICE OUTPUT

## 2630.  THIRU DAYANIDHI MARAN:

- Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी be pleased to state: (a) the first advance estimate for 2025-26 kharif-rice output and whether the Ministry has calculated the expected procurement requirement, buffer stock levels and expected additional burden on public warehousing and PDS pipeline; (b) the manner in which the Ministry plans to ensure fair and timely procurement and MSP payments to small and marginal farmers across all States, especially in regions struggling with storage or transport bottlenecks; (c) the measures being taken to prevent post-harvest losses, waste and spoilage given the sharp increase in rice output, including expansion of cold storage, warehousing and modern silos; (d) whether there is a crop-diversification plan to address the observed decline in pulses and oilseeds output and to reduce dependence on rice monoculture; and climate-resilience practices in rice cultivation given record output, possibly requiring
- (e) the manner in which the Government ensures sustainable water use and increased irrigation or groundwater extraction?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a): First advance estimates for 2025-26 Kharif is for 12,45,03,940 MT of rice. The paddy procurement estimates (in terms of rice) fixed during KMS 2025-26 (Kharif crop) under Central Pool are at Annexure- I.

- (b): To ensure the benefit of  MSP to farmers, central nodal  agencies  (CNAs) in coordination with State Government and State Level Agencies (SLAs) open adequate procurement centres for convenience of farmers. Wide publicity and awareness are conducted through print, electronic & social media to ensure that all registered farmers may take advantage of MSP procurement. Payment to pre-registered farmers under PSS is made directly into their bank accounts through Aadhaar authenticated Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT)/ Aadhar verified Bank Account mode only.

(c): Government through FCI mainly stores wheat & rice after procurement for PDS operation  and  to  maintain  buffer  stock.  As  on  01.11.2025,  total  Covered  Storage Capacity available with FCI is 482.23 LMT (Owned - 147.38 LMT + Hired - 322.43 LMT+ CAP-12.42 LMT) and 347.13 LMT covered capacity available with the State agencies  for  storage  of  Central  Pool  foodgrain  stock  across  the  country.  Besides, 432.93 LMT storage capacity is with state agencies.

Continous assessment and monitoring of the storage capacity is done and based on the  storage  gap  assessment,  the  storage  capacities  are  created/hired  through following schemes:

1.  Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
2.  Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25
3.  Construction of Silo's under PPP mode
4.  Hiring of godown from CWCs/SWCs/State Agencies
5.  Hiring of godown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS).
6.  Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization
7.  CAP Hiring Scheme -2025
8.  Modified PEG scheme for NE & Hilly states with longer guarantee period of 15 years.

## Creation of modern steel silos:

Food Corporation of India (FCI's) operational steel-silo capacity has increased to 29.5 LMT, with projects underway to raise it to nearly 90 LMT in coming 2-3 years, marking  a  major  shift  from  traditional  godown-based  storage  to  modern  scientific systems.

Main objective of this reform is to modernize India's food grain storage and supply chain through durable, efficient and technologically advanced steel silos that reduce post-harvest  losses,  preserve  grain  quality,  enable  faster  and  safer  rail-based movement, requires one third of the land in comparison to conventional godown, and lower logistics costs.

Silos ensure better grain quality, reduced wastage and improving. For the sector, silos  provide  higher  operational  efficiency,  faster  bulk  handling,  reduced  spoilage, lower labour needs and optimized supply-chain operations, strengthening the longterm storage capacity and enhancing sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

The total number of Operational cold storages of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) state-wise are as under:-

|   S.No. | State       | Location    |   Capacity in MT |
|---------|-------------|-------------|------------------|
|       1 | Maharashtra | CW Vashi    |              395 |
|       2 | Maharashtra | CW Nasik    |             2300 |
|       3 | Gujarat     | CW Vadodara |             1250 |

- (d): Government of India is implementing the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under  Pradhan  Mantri  -  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PM-RKVY)  scheme  in  the Original Green Revolution States Haryana, Punjab & Western Uttar Pradesh since 2013-14 to divert the area of water intensive paddy crop to alternative crops, which require less water under CDP, assistance is given for alternative crop demonstrations, farm  mechanization  and  value  addition,  site  specific  activities  and  contingency  for awareness and capacity building. Further, Crop Diversification Programme has been extended to major tobacco growing states to encourage tobacco growing farmers to shift to alternate crops/cropping system w.e.f. 2015-16.
- (e): Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  is  implementing  National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project that studies the impact of climate change on agriculture. Under the project, risk and vulnerability assessment to climate  change  has  been  carried  out  for  651  agricultural  districts  as  per  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) protocols. 310 districts were identified as vulnerable out of which 109 districts have been categorized as 'very high' and 201 districts as 'highly' vulnerable. For enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of farmers to climate variability, location-specific climate resilient technologies such as system of rice intensification, aerobic rice, direct seeding of rice, zero till wheat sowing etc. have been demonstrated under the project through KVKs in 151 districts covering 448 Climate Resilient Villages.  Drought and flood tolerant climate-resilient varieties of rice, were demonstrated in several NICRA villages.  Besides, training programmes are conducted under Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) on various issues of agricultural practices.

Under NICRA, technical assistance for small and marginal farmers is extended to additional vulnerable districts beyond the 151 currently covered districts, to promote adoption  of  climate-resilient  practices.  Village  level  institutions  through  farmers' participatory approach, such as Village Climate Risk Management Committees, seed and  fodder  banks  have  been  established  for  smooth  functioning  and  need  based technology penetration. The project is contributing to farmers' capacity building and improved crop yields, thereby leading to the socio-economic development.

Several  schemes  have  been  initiated  under  National  Mission  for  Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), to promote sustainable agriculture practices. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)  scheme  increases  water  use  efficiency  at  the  farm  level  through  micro irrigation technologies i.e. drip and sprinkler. Rainfed Area Development focuses on Integrated Farming System for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability. The Soil Health & Fertility scheme promotes integrated nutrient management  through  judicious  use  of  chemical  fertilizers.  Mission  for  Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agroforestry & National Bamboo Mission also promote climate resilience in agriculture. Further, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana along with weather index based Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme provide a comprehensive insurance cover against crop failure by providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unforeseen natural calamities. ICAR has released 2900 varieties during last 10 years (2014-2024) of which 2661 varieties are tolerant to one or more biotic and/or abiotic stresses.

Annexure-I

| Sl. No.   | State/UT                      |   Paddy Procurement Estimates (in terms of rice) (In LMT) |
|-----------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Punjab (including Chandigarh) |                                                    116    |
| 2.        | Chhattisgarh                  |                                                     73    |
| 3.        | Odisha                        |                                                     40    |
| 4.        | Uttar Pradesh                 |                                                     39    |
| 5.        | Haryana                       |                                                     36    |
| 6.        | Telangana                     |                                                     36    |
| 7.        | Madhya Pradesh                |                                                     29    |
| 8.        | Bihar                         |                                                     25    |
| 9.        | West Bengal                   |                                                     18    |
| 10.       | Tamil Nadu                    |                                                     16    |
| 11.       | Andhra Pradesh                |                                                     16    |
| 12.       | Maharashtra                   |                                                      7    |
| 13.       | Uttarakhand                   |                                                      5    |
| 14.       | Assam                         |                                                      4    |
| 15.       | Kerala                        |                                                      2    |
| 16.       | Jharkhand                     |                                                      0.71 |
| 17.       | Gujarat                       |                                                      0.24 |
| 18.       | J&K                           |                                                      0.2  |
| 19.       | Himachal Pradesh              |                                                      0.16 |
| 20.       | Tripura                       |                                                      0.12 |
| 21.       | Karnataka                     |                                                      0.05 |
| 22.       | Puducherry                    |                                                      0.01 |
|           | TOTAL                         |                                                    463.49 |

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