No Threat to Food Security Despite Decline in Wheat Procurement
06-May-2026 03:58 PM
New Delhi. Government procurement of wheat for the Central Pool is lagging behind last year's pace; however, this poses no threat to national food security, as government warehouses already hold a massive carryover stock from the previous season. Moreover, wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana has exceeded last year's levels, and the pace of procurement in Uttar Pradesh has also returned to normal.
In Rajasthan, despite the announcement of an additional bonus, a slight decline in wheat procurement is being observed. The real challenge lies with Madhya Pradesh, where it appears that farmers are not particularly enthusiastic about selling their wheat to the government. Consequently, the state government has announced a two-week extension to the deadline for slot bookings in the state.
At the beginning of April, government warehouses held a carryover stock of over 220 lakh tonnes of wheat; with the procurement from the ongoing Rabi marketing season, the total stock has surged to a significantly high level. As a result, there will be an ample supply of wheat available for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and other welfare schemes.
A policy decision regarding the sale of government wheat under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) is likely to be announced before July. The Food Secretary had hinted at this possibility last month. Meanwhile, the peak marketing season for wheat procurement will continue from April through June. The government has revised its wheat procurement target upward from 303 lakh tonnes to 345 lakh tonnes. If procurement performance in Madhya Pradesh returns to normal levels, it may be possible to achieve a figure close to this target.
Domestic wheat production is projected to exceed 11 crore tonnes. The government has already authorized the export of 50 lakh tonnes of wheat and 10 lakh tonnes of wheat products. Flour millers, processors, and traders/stockists remain hesitant to undertake large-scale wheat procurement from farmers at higher prices, having incurred significant losses during the previous season.