India’s Rice Stocks Hit Record High as Paddy Procurement Accelerates

India’s rice inventories in government warehouses surged to a record high in early December, rising nearly 12% from a year ago, as state-run agencies ramped up procurement of the new-season paddy crop. Official data shows total rice reserves, including unmilled paddy, reached 57.57 million metric tons as of December 1—far above the government’s buffer target for January. The sharp rise in stockpiles strengthens India’s position as the world’s largest rice exporter.

The swelling reserves could enable India to further increase rice exports, potentially putting pressure on competing exporters such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Since the start of the marketing year on October 1, the government has purchased 42.2 million tons of paddy from farmers, largely because open-market prices have remained below the minimum support price. Despite heavy government buying, traders say ample supplies are still available for exports.

Export demand has been moderate, but a weakening rupee has helped Indian traders secure competitive overseas deals. India lifted its remaining rice export restrictions last March, and shipments during the first 10 months of 2025 jumped 37% year-on-year to 18.49 million tons. The Rice Exporters Association now expects exports to climb nearly 25% this year to a record 22.5 million tons, while comfortable wheat stocks are also helping the government manage food grain prices.

Pic courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright