Government Wheat Procurement Reaches 36.60 Lakh Tonnes by Mid-April
17-Apr-2026 04:54 PM
New Delhi: Official data reveals that by mid-April this year, the Food Corporation of India (FCI)—along with its associated state agencies—procured approximately 36.60 lakh tonnes of wheat for the Central Pool.
This figure represents a 48 percent decline compared to the procurement volume recorded during the corresponding period last year.
The pace of government wheat procurement has remained sluggish due to delays in harvest preparations and market arrivals in key producing states, as well as persistent issues regarding grain quality. With the aim of accelerating the procurement process, the government has granted relaxations in wheat quality standards in Rajasthan and Haryana; similar relief is expected to be announced shortly for Punjab as well.
Under these relaxed norms, the permissible limit for shriveled and green grains within a wheat lot has been increased from 6 percent to 15 percent. Similarly, government procurement has been authorized for wheat lots containing up to 50 percent lusterless grains.
Experts note that while such wheat does not lack nutritional value, it possesses a shorter shelf life and, therefore, cannot be stored in warehouses for extended periods. This increases the risk of spoilage.
According to government statistics, by mid-April of the current Rabi marketing season, approximately 63.70 lakh tonnes of wheat had arrived in markets nationwide.
Of this total, 36.60 lakh tonnes—or 57 percent—was procured for the Central Pool. Although government wheat procurement operations are currently underway in states such as Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the pace of these operations remains slow.
In Madhya Pradesh, only 1,99,131 tonnes of wheat have been procured—a figure representing a 95 percent decline compared to the previous year. Similarly, procurement volumes have dropped by 57 percent in Uttar Pradesh and 49 percent in Rajasthan.
In Punjab, procurement declined by 6 percent to stand at 2,46,161 tonnes; however, in Haryana, procurement witnessed a robust surge of 22 percent, reaching a total of 28.70 lakh tonnes.