**Summary:**
As of July 30, 2025, the central pool holds 346.78 LMT of wheat and 381.59 LMT of rice, exceeding the stocking norms of 275.80 LMT for wheat and 135.40 LMT for rice for July-September 2025. The Department of Food and Public Distribution has allocated 183.81 LMT of wheat and 402.78 LMT of rice for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) for the year 2025-2026. The available stock in the central pool is sufficient to meet domestic requirements under NFSA, OWS, and additional allocations for natural calamities and festivals.
The government prioritizes food security as outlined in the National Food Security Act, 2013, ensuring adequate food grain stocks in the central pool. To moderate market prices and enhance food grain availability, the government sells surplus wheat and rice through the Open Market Sales Scheme (Domestic OMSS[D]). This increases market availability, controls inflation, ensures food security, and makes food grains more affordable.
The Bharat Atta and Bharat Rice initiatives were launched on November 6, 2023, and February 6, 2024, respectively, to provide subsidized wheat flour and rice to consumers under the OMSS[D] policy. Additionally, the Government of India imposes stock limits on wheat for traders, wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, and processors across all States and Union Territories to manage overall food security and prevent hoarding and speculation.
Key Entities Referenced
National Food Security Act: A legal act of Government of India to provide subsidized food grains to a large section of the population.
Department of Food and Public Distribution: A department of the Indian government responsible for managing food security and the public distribution system.
Central Pool: The central stock of foodgrains maintained by the Indian government.
Wheat: A staple food grain, the stock levels and distribution of which are discussed in the document.
Rice: A staple food grain, the stock levels and distribution of which are discussed in the document.
Open Market Sales Scheme-Domestic (OMSSD): A scheme by the Government of India to sell surplus food grains in the open market to control inflation and ensure food security.
Other Welfare Schemes (OWS): Government run schemes other than National Food Security Act for welfare of citizens.
Bharat Atta: A government initiative to provide wheat flour at subsidized rates.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2784
TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 rH AUGUST, 2025
STOCK OF FOODGRAINS
2784. SHRI SANATAN PANDEY:
SHRI AZAD KIRTI JHA:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC
DiSTRIBUTION be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the present stock offoodgrains in the country;
(b) whether the said stock is sufficient to meet the estimated internal demand of foodgrains in
the country including welfare schemes beilrg run by the Government;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the estimated demand of foodgrains in the country during the
current year;
(d) whether the Government proposes to lift the ban on exDort of food.grains; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by thc Government to ensure adequate
availability of essential foodgri,ins and to check prIce rise in the country?
ANSWE'R
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD & PUBL,JC DIS'l--ItIBUTION
(SHRIMATI NIMtJBEN JAYANTIBH Al BAMBHANIYA)
(a): The stock of foodgrains in the central Pool as on 3-o.07.2025 is 346.78 Lb’IT of Wheat
and 381.59 LX4T of Rice against the for,deraill_s stocking norms of 275,80 Ll\1’F of Wheat
and 135.40 LMT of Rice for July 2025 –- September 2025
(b) and tc): The Deparlment, of Food and Public Distribution has made allocation of 183.8-/
J_MT of Wheat and 402.78 Ll':,IT of Rice for distribution to the bell,3[tciaries under National
Food Security Act (TqFS_A,) and Other WeI!:aIr Schemes (OWS) for the year 2025.-2026. The
stock available in Central Pool is sui-Hcient to me.:', domestic requirement llnder National
Food Security ,/\ct (NFS A) and Other "\\'GIf:UC Schemes (OWS) and Additional allocation
(natura] calanrity. festival, etc.).(d): The Government priorities food security as enshrined under the National Food
Security Act, 2013 and hence provides all means to ensure adequate stock of foodgrains inl
the Central Pool.
(e): To moderate the nrarket prices ,md enhance the availability of fo'Jdgrains, the
Government of India sells surplus food grains (Wheat & Rice), beyond the public
Distribution System (PDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (O\VS) requirements, through open
sale under Open N'lwket Sales Schemet(='enrestic) (OMSS(D)]. This helps increase the
availability of foodgrains in the market, comroi inflation, ensure food security and make
foodgrains more affordable for tIle general population. .In addition, Bharat Atta and Bharat
Rice were launched on 6.11.2023 and 6.02.2024, respectively, with a view to provide atta
(wheat nour) imd rice to genera,1 consumers at subsidized rates under OMS$(D) policy.
Further, in order to manage the overall food security- and to prevent boarding and
unscrupdlous speculation. the L-Jovemment of India imposes stock limits on Wheat applicable
to I'radersl/Wholesalers, Retailers, .Big Chain Ret4ilers and Processors in all States and Union
Territories.
Rikki
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