Reddy raised concerns about pending Rabi stock, pointing that Telangana procured 74 LMTs last season but the Centre approved only 53 LMTs.
Published Oct 02, 2025 | 3:10 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2025 | 3:10 PM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: Telangana anticipates procuring a record 80 LMT of kharif paddy, surpassing the previous 67 LMT high, with costs nearing Rs 26,000 crore. Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy urges the Centre to raise quotas to 80 LMT, permit raw/boiled rice deliveries, extend deadlines, and boost storage/logistics amid full FCI godowns to avert farmers’ distress sales.
Telangana is poised to set a new record with the procurement of an estimated 80 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of kharif paddy.
As the procurement is set to begin in the state, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has sounded an appeal to the Centre to enahnce Telangana’s procurement quota, ease delivery conditions, and provide urgent storage and logistical support to prevent distress sales by farmers.
He said: “We expect to procure about 80 LMT of paddy in this kharif season, which will be the highest ever in the history of Telangana or any single state in the country. The earlier record was 67 lakh metric tonnes.”
Of this, 45–50 LMT would be fine variety of paddy and 30–35 LMT coarse paddy. At the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,389 per quintal, procurement costs could near Rs 20,000 crore, with the total rising to as much as Rs 26,000 crore after including bonus and transport expenses—making this the highest-ever outlay in the country for a single crop.
The Minister strongly objected to restrictions under the Centre’s recent order, which mandates the delivery of parboiled rice only and extends the deadline for Custom Milled Rice (CMR) from kharif up to November 12, 2025.
“Kharif paddy is more suitable for raw rice conversion. Of the available stock, 7.80 lakh metric tonnes remain with raw rice millers, while 1.67 LMTs of paddy (equivalent to 1.13 LMTs of rice) is with boiled rice millers. We are requesting the Centre to permit delivery of both raw and boiled rice depending on availability and to shift the boiled rice target to the Rabi season,” Reddy explained.
He cited undelivered stock totaling 5.44 LMT of CMR from Kharif last year and 14.92 LMT from Rabi earlier this year, causing millers to halt operations and leading to a loss of work for rice mill laborers.
Of the state’s 22.61 LMT FCI storage capacity, 21.72 LMT are already filled, leaving just 0.89 LMT vacant.
“Your FCI godowns in Telangana are full. Please give at least 300 special rakes per month (trains) to empty the godowns so that the next crop can be accommodated comfortably. We are also requesting FCI to lease out additional storage space,” said Reddy.
At a meeting of Food Secretaries on September 1, the Centre approved procurement of 36 LMTs of rice (equivalent to 53.73 LMTs of paddy) between September 30, 2025, and June 15, 2026, even as Telangana projects a kharif harvest of 148.30 LMTs.
“We are requesting them to buy another 10 lakh metric tonnes in this kharif crop. The target must be revised to 53.60 LMTs of rice, equivalent to 80 LMTs of paddy, otherwise lakhs of farmers will face distress sales,” the Minister said.
Further, Uttam Kumar Reddy raised concerns about pending Rabi stock, pointing out that Telangana procured 74 LMTs in the last season but the Centre approved only 53 LMTs.
“We are requesting them to take another 10 lakh metric tonnes from the Rabi crop already procured, and to extend the procurement deadline from October 31 to January 31, 2026, so that another 30 lakh metric tonnes can be lifted,” he urged.
With the Food Corporation of India (FCI) releasing rice under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) at Rs 24 per kg, private procurement from farmers is falling, with farmers realising only Rs 16–17 per kg, exacerbating the need for heightened government procurement.
“Unless additional lifting and storage are arranged, smooth procurement cannot be ensured. Revising delivery norms, creating storage space, and enhancing procurement targets are essential to stabilise the market, prevent distress sales, and protect farmers’ welfare,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
