The government’s food buffer stocks may soon be overflowing as healthy procurement is pushing up stocks to record levels.The department of food and public distribution has procured 30.37 million tonnes of rice against a target of 26 million and a revised estimate of 30 million tonnes announced in April. Despite buying 33.7 million tonnes of rice from farmers the previous year, the government had set a low target of 26 million tonnes this year keeping in view last year’s poor monsoon. Rice procurement begins in October and goes on till September the following year.

Wheat procurement was also upto the expectations of the food department, which bought 22.5 million tonnes in the first four months of the procurement season that began in April. The government has set an ambitious target of procuring 26.2 million tonnes by March next year. It is higher than the all-time record of 25.4 million tonnes during 2009-10.

Thanks to high inflows, the stockpile of rice and wheat are close to their all time records and much higher than in recent years.

Wheat stocks are at 33.6 million tonnes, which is up 35% compared to two years ago, while total rice stocks are at 24.3 million tonnes, up 117% compared to two years ago.