Wheat Arrivals in Punjab's Mandis Reach 10 Million Tonnes

27-Apr-2026 01:09 PM

Ludhiana. In Punjab—the state contributing the highest share of food grains to the Central Pool—the total arrival of wheat in the mandis (wholesale markets) during the current Rabi marketing season rose to over 9.9 million tonnes by April 26, 2026. On April 26 alone, approximately 500,000 tonnes of wheat arrived across all the state's mandis. Given this trend, it appears that the gross supply is set to cross the 10-million-tonne mark today—April 27.

The rapidly increasing influx of wheat has given rise to numerous challenges and issues in Punjab. A primary difficulty lies in the lifting and safe storage of the wheat being procured by government agencies from farmers within the mandis.

Furthermore, it has become challenging to segregate and store the stocks of wheat that are being procured despite being discolored, lacking luster, or containing broken and shriveled grains. The state's warehouses and godowns already hold a massive existing stock of food grains.

The Union Ministry of Food has set a procurement target of 12.2 million tonnes of wheat for Punjab this season, and a total of 1,872 procurement centers have been established across the state to facilitate this process. While government procurement of wheat in the state officially commenced on April 1, the pace of procurement did not gain significant momentum until mid-April.

Of the 10 million tonnes of wheat that have arrived in Punjab's mandis, only 3.4 million tonnes—or one-third of the total stock—has been lifted so far.

A central team is currently on a visit to Punjab to assess the wheat procurement operations. This season, along with Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, Punjab has also been granted relaxations regarding the quality specifications and norms for wheat procurement.

It is estimated that at least 35 percent of the total wheat arriving in Punjab is damaged, and the challenge of safely storing this specific stock remains a critical concern.