Wheat procurement crosses 142 lakh tonnes; Haryana leads with maximum procurement

The difficulties faced by wheat procurement since the Rabi marketing season of 2022-23, due to weak production and low government buying, are finally set to end after three years. According to Food Corporation of India (FCI) data as of April 21, 2025, government wheat procurement for the 2025-26 rabi marketing season has crossed 142.13 lakh tonnes, compared to 87.76 lakh tonnes at the same time last year. Last year, total procurement was 266 lakh tonnes, and this season it is likely to surpass 300 lakh tonnes. This is a relief for the government, which has been struggling with wheat price pressures over the past three years.

The bumper wheat production this season is mainly due to normal weather and increased acreage. A higher minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,425 per quintal and better open market prices have also encouraged farmers to grow more wheat. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are additionally offering bonuses.

So far this season, Haryana leads government procurement with 50.36 lakh tonnes, compared to 43.53 lakh tonnes by April 21 last year. Madhya Pradesh follows with 49.55 lakh tonnes, up from 26.74 lakh tonnes last year. Punjab is third, with procurement reaching 29.93 lakh tonnes, compared to 12.37 lakh tonnes last year.

In Rajasthan, procurement has risen to 7.30 lakh tonnes from 1.72 lakh tonnes a year ago. Uttar Pradesh, the largest wheat-growing state, is currently fifth, with procurement at 4.85 lakh tonnes, compared to 3.33 lakh tonnes last year. In other states: Bihar has procured 8,928 tonnes, Gujarat 2,456 tonnes, and Himachal Pradesh 449 tonnes. No government procurement has yet been reported from Delhi, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir.

As of April 1, 2025, the central pool had 117.94 lakh tonnes of wheat, compared to 75.02 lakh tonnes last year and 83.45 lakh tonnes in 2023. For the past two years, wheat stocks in the central pool at the start of April had dropped to their lowest levels since 2017.

A sudden spike in temperatures during February and March 2022 had adversely affected the wheat crop, forcing the government to ban exports and impose domestic stock limits. Government procurement in the 2022-23 rabi season had fallen to 187 lakh tonnes. Even this year, private buyers are required to update their wheat stock data weekly on the Ministry of Consumer Affairs website.