The government’s surplus rice and wheat stocks are likely to offer a cushion against any possible shortfall in the production of these key food grains due to ‘below normal’ rains in the coming season. Sources said that current central pool rice stocks at close to 40 million tonnes (MT) are at a decade high, despite record sales of over 10 MT under open market sale, allocation for ethanol manufacturing and Bharat rice initiatives in FY26. Massive Buffer Margins The current rice stock held with Food Corporation of India (FCI) is against a buffer of 13.54 MT for July 1. However, this grain stock excludes about 30 MT of grain yet to be received from millers. “We have hugely surplus grain stock sufficient to meet the supplies under the public distribution system and to carry out an open market sale scheme,” an official said.