Govt’s wheat purchase crosses 3 million tonnes, led by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and UP

By Vijay C Roy

The Centre’s wheat purchase from farmers in the 2025-26 marketing season (April-June) has started on a swift note, with government agencies having procured over 3.1 million tonnes (MT) till 12 April, against 1.7 MT during the corresponding period of last year.

Anticipating a bumper harvest, the government aims to procure 31.2 million tonnes of wheat in the current marketing season, and procurement has started in all major wheat-producing states — Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar.

According to Department of Food &Public Distribution data, Madhya Pradesh is leading the procurement process, accounting for 2.7 MT  till 12 April, compared with 1.2 MT procured during the same period last year by the state. Madhya Pradesh is followed by Rajasthan (2,02,729 tonnes) and Uttar Pradesh (1,42,332 tonnes). During the corresponding period of last year, 52,693 tonnes of wheat were procured in Rajasthan and 1,16,332  tonnes in Uttar Pradesh.

In order to encourage farmers’ participation and to meet the procurement target, states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have announced a bonus over and above the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,425 per quintal. Madhya Pradesh has announced a bonus payment of ₹175 per quintal and Rajasthan ₹150 per quintal.

Procurement operations in Punjab and Haryana, the two biggest contributors to the central pool stock, are likely to pick up in the coming days. In Punjab, where purchases started on 1 April, 2909 tonnes of wheat were procured. In Punjab, wheat procurement typically picks up significantly after the Baisakhi festival, which falls on 13 April, as most farmers wait for the festival to complete harvesting.

“Our official procurement started on 1 April. However, the arrival will accelerate after Baisakhi festival,” said a senior official in Punjab’s food and Civil supplies.

Punjab’s Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that elaborate arrangement have been made across the state for seamless procurement of wheat which will gather steam in coming days.

Similarly, in Haryana, where the government has procured 15,204 tonnes of wheat till 12 April, arrivals are expected to pick up in the coming days.

In the 2025-26 marketing season, the government is targeting to procure 31.2 MT of wheat from major wheat producing states such as Punjab (12.4 MT), Haryana (7.5 MT), Madhya Pradesh (6 MT), Uttar Pradesh (3 MT ) and Rajasthan (2 MT). In the 2024-25 marketing year, the government procured 26.6 MT of wheat.

The increase will help the government in meeting social welfare schemes as well as to keep a buffer stock to curb price hikes.

According to agriculture ministry data, wheat production is projected at a record 115.43 MT during the 2024-25 rabi season, surpassing the previous year’s 113.29 MT, an increase of 2%. The increase in production is mainly attributed to conducive weather with no natural calamities.

This article has been republished from The Livemint.