Negligible Government Wheat Procurement in Uttar Pradesh

20-Feb-2026 07:28 PM

New Delhi. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) offered 1.44 lakh tonnes of wheat for sale nationally in the weekly e-auction held on February 18 under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS), but only 61,000 tonnes were sold. Uttar Pradesh had a quota of 10,500 tonnes for wheat sales, but only one flour miller participated in the auction, purchasing 100 tonnes, representing just one percent of the total offered. Millers had shown significant interest in government wheat procurement in Uttar Pradesh during the previous weeks.

In most states across the country, there has been little enthusiasm or interest among millers and processors for government wheat procurement. The Food Corporation was mandated to sell 30 lakh tonnes of wheat by the end of the current financial year, but only 6.70 lakh tonnes have been sold so far.

Weekly auctions under the OMSS are expected to continue until mid-March, but given the weak response from buyers, it appears that the total wheat sales will not exceed 9 lakh tonnes. It is worth noting that during the last financial year, the Food Corporation of India was successful in selling approximately 30 lakh tonnes of wheat through the OMSS.

The Union Food Ministry recently stated that the private sector has a stock of approximately 75 lakh tonnes of wheat, which is approximately 32 lakh tonnes more than the stock during the same period last year. It is believed that government wheat remains slightly more expensive than the open market, which is leading to lower sales.