Wheat open market sale may begin in early July: Government source

29-May-2025 12:30 PM

Wheat open market sale may begin in early July: Government source
★ The government may begin open market sales of wheat by the end of June or early July, according to a senior official.
★ As per the source, the government is likely to offload at least 6 million tonnes (60 lakh tonnes) of wheat in the open market during the 2025-26 (April-March) financial year.
★ The exact number of auctions, reserve price, and total volume of sales are yet to be finalised.
★ According to official estimates, with 30 million tonnes (300 lakh tonnes) of wheat procured this season and 11 million tonnes (110 lakh tonnes) of opening stock, the government will still have over 8 million tonnes (80 lakh tonnes) left for open market sales even if the allocation for the public distribution system (PDS) is increased.
★ Last year, the government allocated 18.4 million tonnes (184 lakh tonnes) of wheat for PDS, which was later increased by 3.5 million tonnes (35 lakh tonnes) in September. If the allocation is increased by 3 million tonnes (30 lakh tonnes) this year, the total requirement for PDS would be 24.9 million tonnes (249 lakh tonnes).
★ This year, the government is equipped with adequate stock to intervene in the market and control rising prices. Unlike last season, when low stock levels limited the government's ability to stabilise prices effectively, the situation is expected to be different this year.