Punjab: Private Buyers Dominate Wheat Procurement, Offering Prices Above MSP

14-Apr-2025 12:11 PM

Punjab: Private Buyers Dominate Wheat Procurement, Offering Prices Above MSP
★ Wheat arrivals have begun in Punjab's mandis, and this season has seen a significant increase in the activity of private buyers. In Sangrur district, by Saturday, private buyers had purchased 90% of the total wheat arrivals, offering Rs. 5–10 more than the Minimum Support Price (MSP). On Sunday, private buyers accounted for 75% of the purchases, and in some areas, farmers received even higher prices.
★ In the 2022–23 season, total wheat procurement in Punjab was 10.276 million metric tonnes (MMT), of which 9.639 MMT was by government agencies and 0.637 MMT by private buyers.
★ In the 2023–24 season, out of 12.575 MMT, government agencies procured 12.107 MMT and private buyers 0.468 MMT.
★ In the ongoing 2024–25 season, out of 13.211 MMT procured so far, 12.456 MMT was by government agencies and 0.755 MMT by private buyers.
★ In Abohar, farmers received prices up to Rs. 2,600 per quintal for wheat — Rs. 30–40 higher than the MSP of Rs. 2,425.
★ In Sangrur district, by Sunday, 5,065 metric tonnes of wheat had arrived, with 4,015 MT bought by private buyers and 1,050 MT by government agencies.
★ In Patiala district, as of Sunday, 50,954 MT of wheat had arrived, of which 42,599 MT was already purchased. Private buyers bought 7,956 MT, while Warehousing Corporation, PUNSUP, and MARKFED procured 7,414 MT, 7,894 MT, and 7,452 MT respectively.