SRINAGAR: The Union Government has unveiled a comprehensive new foodgrain storage policy aimed at modernising India’s storage infrastructure, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening food security, while informing Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir received 0.24 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of Central assistance for storage infrastructure under the programme during 2025-26.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said the new policy has been circulated to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State Governments after a nationwide review of the country’s foodgrain storage ecosystem, including the existing Storage Policy and the Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme.
The Minister said the review identified regional storage imbalances and assessed storage gaps based on procurement, movement of foodgrains and government policies. Under the revised framework, additional storage capacity will be created in deficit States and Union Territories, while all modes of storage creation, including the PEG scheme, have been incorporated into the new policy.
According to the reply, the FCI currently has a total storage capacity of 522.51 LMT for Central Pool foodgrains, comprising 501 LMT of covered storage and 21.51 LMT of covered and plinth (CAP) storage. State and Union Territory agencies together possess an additional 466.19 LMT, taking the total national storage capacity for Central Pool foodgrains to nearly 989 LMT.
The Ministry’s data show that Jammu and Kashmir received 0.24 LMT under Central releases during 2025-26. The Union Territory has an overall foodgrain storage capacity of about 29.53 LMT with FCI and 65.67 LMT with State agencies, taking the combined storage capacity to around 95.2 LMT.
The Government said it is expanding scientific storage infrastructure through steel silos under the public-private partnership model. These facilities require less land than conventional warehouses, improve grain preservation, reduce handling costs and enhance operational efficiency through mechanised bulk storage.
To further modernise the system, the Government is converting conventional depots into Smart Warehouses equipped with sensors for monitoring fire, humidity, carbon dioxide, phosphine levels, temperature and unauthorised entry in real time.
The Ministry also highlighted the Depot Darpan digital platform for monitoring infrastructure and operational performance of warehouses and the Anna Chakra technology platform, which optimises intra-State and inter-State movement of foodgrains to reduce transport costs, improve efficiency and lower carbon emissions.
The Government said FCI continues to follow scientific storage practices, including regular fumigation, pest control, moisture management, periodic inspections, the “First In, First Out” principle and preventive maintenance of warehouses to minimise post-harvest losses and preserve foodgrain quality. It added that modern steel silos and technology-driven monitoring form a key part of the country’s future-ready foodgrain storage framework.
