New Delhi. Due to slow pace of supply in important mandis of major producing states, uncertainty of unloading of government stock under Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) and demand from flour millers, wheat prices generally increased by 50-100 rupees per quintal during the week of 2-8 August, while in some mandis there was a softening of 25-30 rupees per quintal. The off-season of wheat supply is starting while the festival season has formally begun, due to which prices are expected to remain strong.

On the other hand, the price of this important food grain increased by Rs 100 each in Rajkot, Gujarat and Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh to Rs 2500/3100 per quintal and Rs 2600/2850 per quintal respectively. In other mandis, the price of wheat either remained at the previous level or an improvement of Rs 20-30 was recorded. In Jalna Mandi of Maharashtra, the price improved by Rs 50 to Rs 2625/2800 per quintal.

The Food Corporation of India has a surplus stock of about 50-60 lakh tonnes of wheat to sell in OMSS, but it is not getting permission from the Food Ministry to start the auction sale process. On the other hand, the arrival of wheat in domestic wholesale mandis has started getting limited.

Its daily arrival in Delhi was recorded between 6 to 12 thousand sacks. The arrival of wheat is also decreasing in the markets of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The stock of wheat with flour millers and processors is decreasing, which is increasing their concern. Despite the imposition of storage limit on wheat, its low supply clearly indicates that even traders and stockists do not have much stock left. Now everyone's attention is focused on the sale of government wheat, while the government feels that there is a good supply of wheat and its price is also under control.