States Asked to Expand Foodgrain Storage Capacity

17-Dec-2025 04:16 PM

New Delhi: The Union Minister of Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution has urged all states to rapidly develop and expand foodgrain storage capacity and facilities, given the increasing procurement of paddy and wheat.

According to the Food Minister, improvements in the infrastructure of the Public Distribution System (PDS) have significantly reduced foodgrain losses during transit and storage.

The increased use of new and advanced technology throughout the system and better operational management have resulted in minimal foodgrain losses.

The Food Minister stated that government procurement of paddy and wheat has increased manifold over the past 11 years, but storage capacity and facilities have not kept pace. In the entire 2014-15 marketing season, 478 lakh tonnes of paddy were procured by the government, and farmers were paid ₹66,949 crore as Minimum Support Price (MSP).

In contrast, in the 2024-25 marketing season, government procurement of paddy surged to 813 lakh tonnes, and the amount paid to farmers also increased to ₹1,88,821 crore.

Favorable government policies led to a tremendous increase in paddy production and procurement. The Minimum Support Price for paddy also increased significantly.

The Food Minister said that the country currently has a surplus stock of paddy and wheat, and robust procurement of paddy is continuing.

States are continuously demanding increased levels of foodgrain procurement. The central government is ready to procure the grains, but all state governments are being urged to construct and expand new storage facilities.

The central government is providing the necessary funds and facilitating the construction of new warehouses. While the West Bengal government has no outstanding dues, some states are not issuing receipts to beneficiaries.