More Stories

Informist, Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025

--FCI: Food grain stocks 50.2 mln tn as of Mar 1 vs 36.0 mln tn year ago 

--FCI: Wheat stocks 13.4 mln tn Mar 1 vs 9.7 mln yr ago, 16.2 mln month ago 

--FCI: Rice stocks 36.8 mln tn Mar 1 vs 26.3 mln yr ago, 34.0 mln month ago 

NEW DELHI – Wheat stocks with Food Corp. of India as of Mar. 1 were 38% higher from a year ago at 13.4 million tonnes, data from the nodal procurement agency showed. However, on a monthly basis, wheat stocks fell 17.3% as the agency sold wheat at weekly auctions. On Feb. 1, FCI had 16.2 million tonnes wheat.

FCI wrapped up its weekly wheat sales on Mar. 5 as it sold almost the entire allocated quantity of 3 million tonnes under the open market sales scheme in 2024-25. Last year, FCI sold a record 9.41 million tonnes to check prices amid General Elections.  

But the wheat stocks were above the buffer norms for this quarter. According to the norms, minimum wheat stocks for Jan-Mar should be 13.8 million tonnes--operational stock of 10.8 million tonnes and strategic reserve of 3 million tonnes. The government sets the buffer requirement of food grains for every quarter, and the FCI has to maintain the mandated level.

As of Mar. 1, total food grain stocks with the FCI were 50.2 million tonnes, up 39.4% on year and unchanged on a monthly basis. On Mar. 1 last year, food grain stocks with the FCI were 36.0 million tonnes, according to the data. 

The rise in total foodgrain stocks was majorly due to swelling rice stocks with the FCI. Rice stocks in the central pool were up 40% on year at 36.8 million tonnes as of Mar. 1, the data showed. The stocks were up nearly 8% from 34.0 million tonnes a month ago. The current rice stocks are far above the buffer norm of 7.6 million tonnes--operational stock of 5.6 million tonnes and strategic reserve of 2.0 million tonnes.

Despite allowing free rice exports, stocks remained at decade high level due to an increase in paddy production in the country. To free up space, the FCI started to sell the grain twice a week under the open market sales scheme. But the offtake remained slow amid the availability of paddy from the new crop across the country. 

The government also allowed ethanol distilleries to participate in FCI's weekly auctions of rice. In an effort to reduce stocks, the Centre also allowed states to buy the grain directly from the FCI through open market sales, without participating in the electronic auction. End

Reported by Afra Abubacker

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2025. All rights reserved.