New Delhi, May 8 -- Buoyed by an above-normal monsoon forecast, the Centre has set a record foodgrain production target of 354.64 million tonnes for the crop year 2025-26.

This is 3.8% or 13 million tonnes more than the 341.55 mt foodgrain target in 2024-25 and, if achieved, will be good news for India's agrarian economy, rural demand and food inflation. With the production increase expected in rice, wheat, maize and other cereals, it will also help the government to ease its ban on exports that, in turn, will benefit farmers, traders and exporters.

"We plan to achieve record foodgrain production through introduction of high yielding varieties, climate resilient seeds, crop diversification, increased area and through intervention of bet...