The Indian government’s wheat procurement for the current season has reached 34.99 million tonnes (mt) as of May 31, marking a 17 percent increase from 29.82 mt during the same period last year. The procurement, conducted by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for buffer stocks, has surpassed the government’s target of 34.5 mt, which was adjusted from an initial figure of 30.3 mt in response to demands from various states.
In 2025, the government procured 30 mt of wheat and anticipated greater purchases this year after the Agriculture Ministry projected record production of 120.21 mt. Recently, the Agriculture Ministry revised this estimate upward to 120.66 mt, despite localized damage caused by unseasonable rains and hailstorms. This third advance estimate signifies a production increase of 2.3 percent from 117.94 mt in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
However, procurement data indicates that out of the 34.99 mt acquired to date, 23.63 mt—over 67 percent—do not meet stringent quality specifications. C. Shikha, joint secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution, noted that with 35 mt targeted for procurement this year, the FCI’s Central Pool stock now stands at 51.3 mt, significantly above the buffer norm of 27.5 mt as of July 1.
In Punjab, procurement finished at 12.16 mt, a slight increase from 11.92 mt last year. The Central Government had aimed for 12.2 mt from Punjab for 2026-27, compared to 11.92 mt procured in the entirety of 2025-26. Much of the current year’s procurement in Punjab falls under relaxed quality standards due to widespread lustre loss in several districts caused by adverse weather.
In Haryana, the Centre purchased nearly 8.12 mt of wheat, up from 7.08 mt a year ago, exceeding the target of 7.2 mt after procurement concluded on May 15. In Madhya Pradesh, purchases reached 10.44 mt, a 34 percent increase from 7.78 mt the previous year. After revising the target from 7.8 mt to 10 mt in late April, the government faced challenges due to slow procurement rates attributed to insufficient preparation at agencies, leading to a shortage of gunny bags and purchase centers.
Despite these hurdles, continuous pressure from opposition parties and farmers’ organizations enabled the government to surpass the targets. Procurement in Madhya Pradesh was notably low—down 59 percent—until April 30, even though the state began buying from farmers on March 15, earlier than the standard start date of April 1.
Additionally, procurement in Uttar Pradesh has reached 1.72 mt compared to 1.03 mt last year, and in Rajasthan, purchases have risen to 2.43 mt, up from 1.98 mt. In Bihar, procurement has increased to 36,285 tonnes, more than double the 17,923 tonnes from the previous year. Notably, the Centre has also raised its purchase targets 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 180,000 tonnes.
Published on June 1, 2026.
