Why in news
- Central government lowered the paddy procurement target to 708.64 lakh tonnes for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 following a contraction in paddy sown area.
Procurement Target and Acreage Contraction
- Target set at 708.64 lakh tonnes of paddy for KMS 2026-27, marking a reduction compared to actual procurement figures of the preceding three years.
- Contraction driven by a decline in paddy-sown area to 414.10 lakh hectares compared to 428.46 lakh hectares in the previous season.
Mechanism of Decentralised and Central Procurement
- Food Corporation of India along with State agencies procure paddy at Minimum Support Price to maintain buffer stocks and meet public distribution requirements under NFSA.
- Procurement plans adjust dynamically based on monsoon distribution, crop damage assessments, and acreage figures reported by the Agriculture Ministry.
Key terms
Kharif Marketing Season
Official crop marketing period for rain-fed kharif crops running from October through September.
Minimum Support Price
Guaranteed price set by the Central Government to protect agricultural producers against distress sales.
Prelims facts
- Paddy is the primary Kharif crop dependent on monsoon coverage across central and eastern India.
Mains discussion
- Implications of reduced acreage and procurement targets on national buffer stock management and food security.
Source: Hindu Business Line
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2023 · Q27 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements: 1. The Government of India provides Minimum Support Price for niger (Guizotia abyssinicia) seeds. 2. Niger is cultivated as a Kharif crop. 3. Some tribal people in India use niger seed oil for cooking. How many of the above statements are correct? -
2020 · Q61 · General Studies · 2 marks
In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture? 1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops. 2. Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies 3. Social Capital development -
2020 · Q63 · General Studies · 2 marks
Which of the following factors/policies were affecting the price of rice in India in the recent past? 1. Minimum Support Price 2. Government's trading 3. Government's stockpiling 4. Consumer subsidies Select the correct answer using the code given below -
2020 · Q69 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements: 1. In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil-seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India. 2. In the case of cereals and pulses, the MSP is fixed in any State/UT at a level to which the market price will never rise. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? -
2019 · Q79 · General Studies · 2 marks
The economic cost of food grains to the Food Corporation of India is Minimum Support Price and