India 354 Million Tonnes Foodgrain Target for 2025-26

The Indian government has set an ambitious target of 354 million tonnes for foodgrain production in the 2025-26 crop year, which runs from July to June. This target was announced on Thursday during a national conference on the Kharif campaign, where policymakers and agricultural scientists discussed preparations for the upcoming sowing season. The new target represents nearly 4% growth over the 2024-25 target and more than 6.5% increase compared to the actual production achieved in 2023-24.

Monsoon Optimism Drives Higher Targets

This ambitious goal comes after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted 'above normal' rainfall for most parts of the country, including crucial agricultural regions. Good monsoon rains during the June to September period typically result in abundant harvests. Farmers in the 'monsoon core zone' particularly depend on seasonal rainfall for successful crops.

The foodgrain basket in India comprises paddy (rice), wheat, coarse cereals, and pulses. For the 2025-26 crop year, the government has set a specific target of 147.35 million tonnes for rice production. Rice is grown across all three agricultural seasons in India. For wheat, which is only grown during the rabi (winter) season, the target has been set at 117.40 million tonnes, up from the estimated 115.43 million tonnes produced in the 2024-25 crop year.

For the ongoing 2024-25 crop year, the country has already produced 330.92 million tonnes of foodgrains during the kharif and rabi seasons. The production figures for the summer (zaid) season are still awaited. In the previous year (2023-24), the summer season contributed 16.5 million tonnes to the total foodgrain production.

Nationwide Awareness Campaign

During the conference, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced a 15-day nationwide campaign from May 29 to June 12. This initiative aims to educate between 10 to 15 million farmers across 700 districts about climate-resilient seed varieties, fertilizer availability, monsoon forecasts, and government program benefits.

"Farm scientists and officials will be among farmers during the campaign. There are 16,000 farm scientists in India, and there is a need for farmers and scientists to work together," said Chouhan.

The Agriculture Minister also mentioned that the central government is considering amendments to the Seeds Act of 1966. These changes would aim to prevent the sale of spurious seeds, ensure seed traceability, and protect farmers' interests. As part of the nationwide awareness campaign, the central government, in collaboration with state governments, will form 2,000 teams comprising agricultural scientists and progressive farmers to reach out to farming communities.

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