The Centre has discontinued the sale of Bharat brand food products—including Bharat Atta, Bharat Rice, and Bharat Dals—as prices of essential commodities have stabilized and food inflation has eased significantly.
Launched in 2023 to offer subsidized staples to middle-income consumers during a period of high inflation, the Bharat brand was positioned as a price moderation tool rather than a long-term subsidy scheme. Retail outlets operated by NAFED and NCCF have now stopped selling these products.
Food inflation dropped to 1.78% in April 2025 from 8.7% a year earlier, prompting the government to phase out the initiative. “Prices of all major food items have come down due to increased production,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
India has recorded bumper harvests of rice, wheat, and maize during the 2024–25 kharif season, along with higher yields of pulses such as tur, gram, and lentils. The agriculture ministry’s second advance estimates and a favorable monsoon forecast for June to September are expected to further boost supplies and stabilize prices.
Ratings agency Crisil’s latest “Roti Rice Rate” report also noted a 6% year-on-year decline in the cost of home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis in May, reflecting broader price relief for consumers.
While the government has no immediate plans to reintroduce the Bharat brand, officials said it may be revived in the future if inflationary pressures return or if procurement levels for certain commodities rise sharply.