373 Lakh Tonnes Rice via Central Agencies

16-Jan-2026 09:02 PM

New Delhi: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is required to provide a massive quantity of rice free of cost to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, as well as under other central schemes.

In addition, rice is being supplied at subsidized rates to distilleries for ethanol production, and government rice is also sold through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).

According to official figures, a total of 550.73 lakh tonnes of rice was lifted through all these channels in the financial year 2021-22, while only 11.27 lakh tonnes of rice was sold under OMSS and only 1.69 lakh tonnes was sold for ethanol production.

The following year, the total rice off-take increased to 638.06 lakh tonnes, but in 2024-25, it decreased to 398.63 lakh tonnes.

By December 2024-25, the total rice off-take had increased to 373.04 lakh tonnes. This included 291.07 lakh tonnes supplied under various schemes and 44.71 lakh tonnes under OMSS, while 37.26 lakh tonnes of rice was also provided to ethanol manufacturers.

Despite this, a very large stock of paddy and rice is still available in the central pool, while the rate of its off-take is observed to be slow. Retail sales of rice under the Bharat brand are continuing.

States have been permitted to directly lift rice from Food Corporation of India depots. The government is making every possible effort to reduce the rice stock.