India’s foodgrain production rose 4.7% to a record 341.55 million tonnes (MT) in the 2025-26 crop year (July–June), according to the Third Advance Estimate released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. The figure surpasses the previous high of 326.16 MT set in 2023-24.
Wheat and Rice Lead the Surge
Wheat output climbed to 115.4 MT from 113.29 MT in 2023-24, supported by a near-normal winter and timely irrigation across the Indo-Gangetic plain. Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh — which together account for roughly 70% of national wheat procurement — reported above-average rabi yields this season.
Rice production reached 141.8 MT, up from 136.96 MT, on steady kharif sowing and improved reservoir levels benefiting Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal. Odisha expanded paddy coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and recorded a yield uptick this cycle.
Pulses and Coarse Cereals
Pulses output rose marginally to 24.51 MT from 24.23 MT, with Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan contributing the bulk of gram production. Coarse cereals — including maize and bajra — added 59.84 MT to the total; Karnataka and Maharashtra together account for over 40% of national maize output.
Crop-wise Foodgrain Output: 2023-24 vs 2025-26 (MT)
| Crop | 2023-24 (MT) | 2025-26 Estimate (MT) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | 136.96 | 141.80 | +3.5% |
| Wheat | 113.29 | 115.40 | +1.9% |
| Coarse Cereals | 56.62 | 59.84 | +5.7% |
| Pulses | 24.23 | 24.51 | +1.2% |
| Total | 326.16 | 341.55 | +4.7% |
ℹ️ Policy Context
- PMFBY paid ₹16,000 crore in claims to 4 crore farmers in 2024-25.
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat was set at ₹2,425 per quintal for the 2025-26 rabi marketing season.
- PM-KISAN has disbursed ₹6,000 annually per farmer to over 9.3 crore beneficiaries as of the latest instalment.
The record harvest has direct bearing on buffer stock management. Retail wheat flour prices in Delhi and Mumbai stayed elevated through early 2026, and Food Corporation of India (FCI) procurement — targeting 30 MT of wheat by May 2026 — will determine whether buffer stocks hold through the lean season without fresh open-market sales.
The headline, however, leaves one structural problem untouched. Oilseeds output remains below domestic demand, keeping edible oil import dependence near 60%. India spent approximately ₹1.35 lakh crore on edible oil imports in 2024-25 — a gap no foodgrain surplus can close. India last recorded meaningful self-sufficiency in edible oils in the early 1990s, before palm oil imports became a structural crutch; without a dedicated oilseed mission at scale, that dependence will persist regardless of wheat and rice records.
The Fourth and Final Advance Estimate for 2025-26 is due in September 2026. Kharif sowing data — the first signal for the next cycle — will begin appearing in Agriculture Ministry weekly bulletins from late June 2026, with southwest monsoon onset over Kerala expected around 1 June 2026 setting the early tone.
FAQ
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