OMSS (D) Rice Sale Target Doubled to 50 LMT for 2026-27

To keep rice prices in check, the Government of India announced a set of steps on 6 November 2026. The biggest is a doubling of the rice sale target under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic), or OMSS (D), for 2026-27, from 25 LMT to 50 LMT (lakh metric tonnes). The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution also ordered every rice and paddy stockist in the country to declare stocks every week.

More rice through e-auctions

Under OMSS (D), government rice is sold to private buyers through e-auctions to raise open-market supply. Up to 31 October 2026, 25 LMT had already been sold this financial year, compared with 11 LMT in the same period of the previous year. The original target was thus used up in seven months, and the new target gives room for another 25 LMT.

Weekly stock disclosure

An order dated 6 November 2026 covers traders and wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors or millers in all States and Union Territories. They must report stocks on the Food Stock Portal every Friday in six categories:

• Basmati rice
• Non-Basmati premium rice
• Non-Basmati rice
• Parboiled rice
• Broken rice
• Paddy

An entity that is not registered on the portal or breaks a stock limit can be punished under Sections 6 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Stock limits in the South

The Centre gave its concurrence to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana to impose stock limits on rice and paddy through control orders where needed. The limits can stay until 31 January 2027, and the Centre and the States will watch for hoarding and black marketing.

More Bharat Rice

Extra quantities of Bharat Rice are being given to three agencies, NAFED, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar, with special focus on the southern states. They have been asked to use every possible sales channel so that consumers can buy the rice easily at affordable prices.