Telangana gets boost as Centre agrees to procure 8 lakh MTs more rice

The Centre has decided to procure additional rice from Telangana, raising the procurement target from 35 lakh metric tonnes to 43 lakh metric tonnes, informed Union Minister of Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday.

Expressing happiness over the decision, he said the rice procurement from Telangana will now be increased by another eight lakh metric tonnes (equivalent to 12 lakh metric tonnes of paddy) for the benefit of farmers and in response to the appeals made by BJP public representatives, said an official release.

Regarding the Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26, it was initially decided — in the presence of officials from both the Central and State governments prior to the start of the season — to procure 35 lakh metric tonnes of rice (52 lakh metric tonnes of paddy) from Telangana.

Mr. Kishan Reddy pointed out that he along with other party MPs met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, on July 8th and requested an increase in the volume of rice procurement from Telangana. Favorably considering the request, the Centre decided to increase the rice procurement target to 43 lakh metric tonnes equivalent to 64 lakh metric tonnes of paddy.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Joshi for understanding the plight of Telangana’s farmers and deciding to increase rice procurement. The onus is now on the State government to fully utilise the opportunity for the additional procurement of eight lakh metric tonnes of rice and deliver it to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on time. He accused the government of having failed to deliver the rice due from previous marketing seasons to the FCI within the stipulated deadlines and repeatedly seeking extensions.