India's rice procurement took a big hit this October, falling by 19 lakh tons compared to last year, down to about 104 lakh tons from over 123 lakh tons.
The main reason? Fewer arrivals from states like Tamil Nadu and Haryana, though Punjab managed to hold steady with 73.52 lakh tons.
Government sets 715.22L tons target
Tamil Nadu's numbers dropped dramatically, from 7.51 lakh tons last year to just 2.87 lakh tons this time, even after starting early purchases in September.
Haryana also saw a big dip as arrivals were lower, collecting only 26.25 lakh tons versus 38.79 lakh tons last year.
To tackle this, the government set an ambitious target of 715.22 lakh tons for the season and rolled out new guidelines on grain quality, hoping for a better outcome next time around.