Massive Losses of Foodgrains During Transport and Storage

26-Nov-2025 11:33 AM

New Delhi. Official data shows that during the first seven months of the current financial year, April-October 2025, 40,000 tons of government food grains were wasted during transportation and approximately 13,000 tons during storage. This caused significant financial losses to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

According to this government agency, a total of 24.16 million tons of food grains were transported from surplus-producing states to deficit-producing states during April-October 2025, including grain sent for the Public Distribution System (PDS) and other welfare schemes.

Of this, 40,000 tons, or 0.17 percent, was wasted. Several reasons are being cited for this loss. Transportation of grain from one place to another is often poorly managed, leading to spillage, theft of grain along the way, and poor railway infrastructure.

Additionally, due to temperature fluctuations and moisture content, food grains often deteriorate to such an extent that they have to be discarded, making them unfit for human consumption, let alone animals.

During the fiscal year 2024-25, 73,000 tons of food grains worth ₹2.36 billion were lost during transportation, compared to less in 2025-26. Grain losses have decreased significantly over the past few decades.

This loss relative to total food grain transportation was 1.7 percent in 1990, which declined to 0.3 percent by 2015 and now stands below 0.2 percent. Additionally, approximately 13,000 tons of grain was wasted during storage and handling.

Last year, 0.3 percent of the total stock of 44.87 million tons of food grains in government warehouses was lost due to various reasons.