Government wheat sales under the OMSS are slow

27-Nov-2025 11:52 AM

New Delhi. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is successfully selling only a small portion of the wheat stock it is offloading under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). Millers and processors are showing little interest in government wheat procurement due to specific reasons.

Yesterday, 200,000 tons of wheat was offered for sale under this scheme, but only 80,000 tons, or 40%, were sold.

Previously, in the weekly e-auction held on November 12th, approximately 73,000 tons, or 36%, of the 20 lakh tons offered, were sold. The Food Corporation is now conducting wheat auction sales on a fortnightly basis instead of weekly.

Compared to last year, millers and processors are showing less enthusiasm towards government wheat buyers due to the high minimum reserve price and the additional transportation costs.

Buyers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are showing the greatest interest in purchasing this wheat because they benefit from transportation cost discounts.

The central government has allocated a quota of 3 million tons of wheat for sale under the OMSS in the 2025-26 financial year, but sales are currently slow.

Sales are expected to pick up somewhat in the January-March 2026 quarter. During the auction held on November 26th, 22,000 tons of wheat were sold in Punjab against an offer of 25,000 tons, and 14,000 tons of wheat were sold against an offer of 25,000 tons.

In Haryana, an offer of 10,000 tons was placed, and the entire quantity was sold. Millers and processors were the most active in wheat procurement there. Consequently, the offer for sale of wheat for Haryana may be increased in the upcoming auction.