Government Wheat Procurement Lags 13 Percent Behind Last Year's Figures

28-Apr-2026 03:34 PM

New Delhi. Despite strong performance in Punjab and Haryana, total government wheat procurement at the national level has declined by 13 percent compared to last year, stalling at 19.5 million tonnes.

The procurement process is currently ongoing. Notably, the pace of procurement in Madhya Pradesh—the leading contributor of wheat to the Central Pool—has been very slow.

The Union Ministry of Food had raised the wheat procurement target for Madhya Pradesh from 7.8 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes; however, arrivals at procurement centers remain limited.

Wheat procurement targets have been revised upwards in several states: from 1 million tonnes to 2.5 million tonnes in Uttar Pradesh; from 2.1 million tonnes to 2.35 million tonnes in Rajasthan; from 18,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes in Bihar; and from 1,000 tonnes to 5,000 tonnes in Uttarakhand.

Much like in Madhya Pradesh, government wheat procurement in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan also trails behind last year's levels.

A significant concern is that nearly one-third of the wheat procured so far during the current year is of substandard quality; this stock is being segregated and stored separately.

The pace of procurement is expected to accelerate in the coming days. The overall government target for wheat procurement has been raised from 30.3 million tonnes to 34.5 million tonnes.