FCI lost 62,000 tn food grain in transit Apr-Feb, net storage gains 7,000 tn
This story was originally published at 12:55 IST on 25 March 2026
Register to read our real-time news.Informist, Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026
MUMBAI – Food Corp. of India lost 62,000 tonnes of food grains in transit during Apr-Feb, data from the government agency showed. This accounts for 0.17% of the 37.16 million tonnes of food grains, mainly rice and wheat, transported by the agency during the 11-month period. The FCI procures food grains and transports them across the country, mainly from surplus regions to deficit ones.
Transit losses for Apr-Feb are in line with the corporation's target of limiting such losses to 0.17% of the transported grains in 2025-26 (Apr-Mar). Transit losses, according to FCI, arise due to multiple handling, spillage, theft en route, poor railway infrastructure, and fluctuations in temperature and moisture during transportation.
In FY25, FCI lost 73,000 tonnes, or 0.17% of the 42.4 million tonnes of food grains, during transportation. Over the last few decades, transit losses have declined due to improvements in handling and monitoring, from 1.67% in 1990 to 0.17% now.
During Apr-Feb, FCI reported net storage gains of 7,000 tonnes, after accounting for both storage losses and gains. The net gain was 0.01% of the 72.59 million tonnes of foodgrain the corporation received for storage. FCI has set a target of achieving 47,000 tonnes of storage gains while carrying wheat and aims to limit storage losses for rice to 10,000 tonnes in FY26.
Storage gains typically occur due to weight gain in grains such as wheat, which is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture. However, rice tends to lose moisture during storage, resulting in net weight loss, according to FCI. In FY25, the corporation recorded net storage gains of 66,000 tonnes, or 0.08% of the 80.50 million tonnes of food grains received. End
Reported by Abhijit Doshi
Edited by Avishek Dutta
For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.
Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.
Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000
Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com
© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.
To read more please subscribe
Share this Story:
