Government Wheat Procurement Crosses 310 Lakh Tonnes
19-May-2026 04:23 PM
New Delhi. Government procurement of wheat for the Central Pool has risen to over 310 lakh tonnes, marking the highest level recorded in the last four years. According to official sources, the wheat procurement process in states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan has either concluded or reached its final stages, while it remains ongoing in states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The Central Government has set a revised procurement target of 345 lakh tonnes for wheat this year. Initially, the target was set at 303 lakh tonnes; however, actual procurement has already surpassed this figure and is now advancing towards the new, revised target. For the first time in the current Rabi marketing season, government wheat procurement has exceeded last year's figures by 6 percent. Wheat is being procured from farmers across various states at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) by the central agency—the Food Corporation of India (FCI)—and its associated state-level agencies. This year, the MSP for wheat has been fixed at ₹2,585 per quintal. The Rajasthan government is offering an additional bonus over and above this price.
During the initial six weeks of the season, a total of slightly over 360 lakh tonnes of wheat arrived at the *mandis* (wholesale markets) of top-producing states—including Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan—of which government agencies procured just over 310 lakh tonnes. During the corresponding period last year, wheat arrivals had exceeded 380 lakh tonnes. A significant factor attributed to the increase in wheat procurement this year is the relaxation of quality-related norms and specifications.
Broadly speaking, government procurement figures currently stand at 121.60 lakh tonnes in Punjab, 81.10 lakh tonnes in Haryana, 77 lakh tonnes in Madhya Pradesh, 17.10 lakh tonnes in Rajasthan, and 12.40 lakh tonnes in Uttar Pradesh; meanwhile, there is a possibility of an additional 20–25 lakh tonnes being procured in Madhya Pradesh in the coming days.