Government set 354.64 MT target of foodgrain Production for 2025-26

The government of India has set a target of 354.64 million tonnes (MT) of foodgrains production for the 2025-26 crop season. This represents an increase of 4% from the target set for the current year target of 341.55 MT of food grains for the crop season of 2024-25. 

The target was approved at the meeting of the National Conference of Agriculture for the Kharif Campaign that was chaired by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The meeting was attended by ministers from States and senior officials from the Union Agricultural Ministry.

The crop season in India is from July to June.

The Indian Meteorological Department has also forecasted an above normal southwest monsoon (June-September) in 2025.

Break-up of Foodgrains Target for 2025-26 

Foodgrains include cereals, pulses, and oilseeds. Cereal crops include wheat, paddy, barley, ragi, and others, while oil seeds include peanuts, mustard, sunflowers, and others. The major pulses are arhar, Urad, lentil, channa /chickpea, and others.

The foodgrain targets the 2025-26 Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid seasons.

• Kharif Season - 168.88 MT
• Rabi and Zaid Season- 185.76 MT 
• Wheat - 117.40 MT 
• Paddy -147.35 MT

Production estimate for the 2024-25 season 

• The foodgrain production for the 2024-25 season target is 341.55 million tonnes.
• Current Production - 330.92 million tonnes in the Kharif and Rabi seasons. 
• The government is yet to release the Zaid season sowing data.

About the Cropping Season in India 

India has three main cropping seasons -Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.

Kharif Season (June - October )

• Sowing season starts with the onset of the South West Monsoon and is harvested by October/November.
• Major crops - paddy, soyabean, maize,  moong, toor(arhar), jawar, bajra, urad, cotton, jute, groundnuts.

Rabi Crops or winter crops (November to April)

• Sown during October - December and harvested in March/April.
• Major crops include wheat, barley, peas, sunflower, mustard, and gram.

Zaid Crops 

• It is a period after harvesting the rabi crops and before the sowing of the kharif crops. 
• Major crops are cucumbers, vegetables, watermelon, etc. 
• Paddy is also sown during this period in some parts of the country.