The Indian government has raised the wheat procurement target for the current Rabi marketing season to 34.5 million tonnes (MT), marking an increase of approximately 15% from the initially set goal. This decision comes as more farmers are expected to sell their produce to the government at the minimum support price (MSP) due to lower prices in the mandis.
State Requests Prompt Early Revision
Recently, the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar urged the Centre to enhance wheat procurement. While the government typically revises targets near the end of the procurement period, this year the adjustment was made earlier. On Friday, the government also encouraged flour millers to purchase wheat directly from the market rather than relying on sales by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Current Procurement and Price Trends
So far, the government has purchased 16.4 MT of wheat in the ongoing procurement season. The all-India average mandi price of wheat on April 22 was Rs 2,572 per quintal, compared to the MSP of Rs 2,585. In Uttar Pradesh, the average farmgate price was Rs 2,439 per quintal, and in Madhya Pradesh, it was Rs 2,416.
Detailed Target Increases by State
During the release of the "Annual Wheat Survey Report 2026" by the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra announced the revised procurement targets: Madhya Pradesh increased from 7.8 MT to 10 MT, Uttar Pradesh from 1 MT to 2.5 MT, Rajasthan from 2.1 MT to 2.3 MT, Bihar from 18,000 tonnes to 1,80,000 tonnes, and Uttarakhand from 1,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes. Procurement norms have been relaxed for four states, excluding Uttarakhand, due to crop damage from adverse weather.
Production Estimates Amid Weather Damage
Chopra estimated wheat production in the range of 110–120 MT, following damage from unseasonal rain and hailstorms in key growing states. The flour millers' federation estimated production at 110 MT. Earlier, the agriculture ministry had estimated production at 120.2 MT before the adverse weather conditions.
The annual survey report noted moderate to high impact on wheat crops in nine states—Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra—due to unseasonal rain and hailstorms between February and April.
