Wedoany.com Report-Dec.11, India has achieved its ninth consecutive record harvest of major food grains in marketing year 2024-25, according to final estimates released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) and reported by the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

Total production of rice, wheat, corn, and barley reached 357.7 million tonnes, an increase of more than 25 million tonnes compared with the previous record set in 2023-24. Rice output rose by nearly 13 million tonnes year-on-year to 150 million tonnes, while wheat production climbed to 113.2 million tonnes from 110.5 million tonnes.

Favourable weather, expanded area under high-yielding varieties, and timely availability of inputs contributed to the strong performance across major growing regions.

Looking ahead to 2025-26, the FAS forecasts continued growth driven by an expected above-normal monsoon. Rice production is projected to reach a new high of 151 million tonnes, with maize output anticipated at 44 million tonnes and wheat at a record 117.5 million tonnes.

Rice exports in 2024-25 surged 56% to 22.5 million tonnes following the phased removal of earlier export restrictions. The FAS projects a further rise to 25 million tonnes in 2025-26, supported by ample domestic supplies and competitive international pricing.

Government rice procurement at the Minimum Support Price exceeded targets, pushing public stocks to 44.9 million tonnes as of 1 October 2025, compared with 38.7 million tonnes a year earlier. Current inventories stand approximately four times above the official buffer norm of 10.3 million tonnes.

Wheat stocks are also rebuilding rapidly. Ending stocks for the 2025-26 season are forecast at 17.2 million tonnes, more than double the level recorded in 2023-24 and 46% higher than the previous year. The comfortable inventory position provides flexibility for domestic food security programmes and potential export opportunities should market conditions remain favourable.

The sustained production gains have strengthened India's position as the world's largest rice exporter and a significant supplier of wheat and coarse grains to global markets while maintaining robust domestic availability.