Government Wheat Procurement Surges 46% to Nearly 200 Lakh Tonnes
26-Apr-2025 10:50 AM
New Delhi, April 25, 2025 — Government procurement of wheat for the central pool has witnessed a remarkable 46% surge this Rabi marketing season, reaching 198.60 lakh tonnes as of April 24, 2025. This marks an increase of approximately 63 lakh tonnes compared to 135.80 lakh tonnes procured during the same period last year.
The bulk of this procurement has taken place in the key producing states of Punjab and Haryana. However, the pace of procurement has recently slowed down due to delays in lifting the purchased stock from the mandis. Despite this, the arrival of dry and high-quality wheat has ensured smooth operations for procurement agencies.
On April 24 alone, 1.47 lakh tonnes of wheat were procured, slightly lower—by 11.5%—than the 1.67 lakh tonnes recorded on the same date in 2024. Just days earlier, on April 21, the total procurement had hit 148 lakh tonnes, which was 14.01% higher than last year's figure of 130 lakh tonnes on the same date, indicating an overall strong upward trend despite recent slowdowns.
Officials clarified that while the pace may seem slower on a few days, daily procurement remains steady. The earlier start to harvesting and market arrivals this year—compared to last year—has contributed to these fluctuations in procurement data.
In state-wise performance, Punjab has led the procurement drive with 68.40 lakh tonnes, a significant jump from 45.80 lakh tonnes last year.
Haryana followed with 58.90 lakh tonnes, up from 51.90 lakh tonnes. These two states are expected to be the highest contributors to the central wheat pool.
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have also reported healthy procurement numbers, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat have seen relatively modest increases.
Interestingly, there has been a notable rise in commercial buying activity in Uttar Pradesh, with more involvement from flour millers, processors, and private traders.
The Food Ministry has set an ambitious target of procuring 312.70 lakh tonnes of wheat this year and remains confident of meeting it.