The Indian government’s wheat procurement for the current season has reached 33.39 million tonnes (mt) as of May 21, falling approximately 1 million tonnes short of its target. This figure represents a 13 percent increase from 29.64 mt during the same period last year. In the previous season, the government procured 30 mt of wheat, while this year’s production is estimated at 120.21 mt, prompting a purchase target of 34.5 mt.
Data indicates that procurement in Punjab concluded at 12.16 mt, an increase of 2 percent from the 11.92 mt recorded last year. The Centre has set a procurement target of 12.2 mt for Punjab in the 2026-27 season, in contrast to the 11.92 mt procured in the entirety of 2025-26. It is noteworthy that a significant portion of this year’s purchases in Punjab complied with relaxed quality standards due to widespread lustre loss caused by unseasonal rains and hailstorms.
In Haryana, nearly 8.12 mt of wheat has been procured, surpassing the target of 7.2 mt. Last year, the Centre purchased 7.14 mt from the state. Madhya Pradesh saw procurement at 9.5 mt, up from 7.8 mt in the previous year, marking a 22 percent increase. The Centre agreed to revise the state’s target from 7.8 mt to 10 mt as a result of requests made in late April, although initial delays in purchasing due to inadequate preparations created challenges.
Procurement in Madhya Pradesh lagged behind by 59 percent until April 30, even after the state was granted permission to begin purchasing from farmers on March 15, a shift from the normal start date of April 1. Data indicates that purchases from May 1 to May 21 amounted to roughly 9.2 mt, compared to only 3.8 mt during the same timeframe last year. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted concerns regarding lower procurement levels with State Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in April.
In other states, procurement in Uttar Pradesh has reached 1.48 mt compared to 1.02 mt last year. In Rajasthan, purchases have climbed to 2.03 mt from 1.81 mt year-ago figures. In Bihar, procurement has increased significantly to 33,295 tonnes, marking an 89 percent rise from 17,609 tonnes last year. The Centre has adjusted procurement targets upward in Uttar Pradesh from 1 mt to 2.5 mt, in Rajasthan from 2.1 mt to 2.35 mt, and in Bihar from 18,000 tonnes to 0.18 mt.
State procuring agencies are instructed to store wheat procured under relaxed specifications (URS) separately and maintain accurate records. Unseasonal rains in March and April elevated moisture levels in wheat grains and resulted in issues like grain shrinkage and loss of lustre. Consequently, a substantial portion of the crop did not meet the established quality standards, complicating the procurement process.
Published on May 22, 2026.
