Govt 2026-27 wheat procurement ends at 35.76 mln tn, exceeds aim after 5 years
India concluded 2026–27 wheat procurement at a five-year high of 35.76 million tonnes, exceeding the 34.6 million-tonne target. Around 68% was procured under relaxed quality norms for weather-damaged grain, with government agencies purchasing over 82% of market arrivals, boosting central stocks.
NEW DELHI – The Centre has concluded its wheat procurement for the 2026-27 rabi marketing season on Sunday, surpassing its procurement target for the first time in five years. Farmers largely sold wheat to the government amid weak market demand for weather-damaged grain. As of Sunday, Food Corp. of India and state agencies procured 35.76 million tonnes of wheat, up over 19.4% on year and higher than the revised target of 34.60 million tonnes, according to FCI data.
Typically, the government’s wheat procurement window runs from April through June, with many states closing purchases in May itself. According to a government official, the 2026-27 wheat procurement concluded on Sunday, with Rajasthan becoming the last state to close procurement operations.
The Centre’s wheat procurement has climbed to a five-year high of 35.76 million tonnes in 2026-27. In 2021-22, the government had bought a record 43.3 million tonnes of wheat. The government’s wheat purchases rose sharply this year as traders and millers were reluctant to buy weather-damaged crop in several regions. In addition, there was little incentive for bulk buyers to aggressively stock wheat in a year when output is estimated at a record 120.6 million tonnes.
Although unseasonal rains and hailstorms in late March to early April affected crops across major wheat-producing states, the impact on grain quality was more pronounced than the loss in volume, AgriWatch had said earlier.
Amid widespread crop damage, the government relaxed quality norms to procure shrivelled and broken grains from farmers. Of the total wheat procured so far, nearly 68% or 24.2 million tonnes of wheat have been procured under relaxed quality specifications. Under these norms, farmers can sell to the government wheat with up to 15% shrivelled and broken grains, compared with the earlier limit of 6%. The permissible limit for loss of lustre has also been relaxed up to 50%.
As of Sunday, Rajasthan closed procurement with 2.71 million tonnes of wheat, up 23% on year. Uttar Pradesh stopped purchases as of mid-June after procuring a little over 2 million tonnes, up 110% on year, but missing the 2.5 million tonnes target.
Punjab and Haryana had ended procurement in May at 12.1 million tonnes and 8.1 million tonnes, respectively. Haryana’s entire procurement was carried out under the relaxed quality norms, reflecting widespread damage and weak market demand. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan also procured substantial quantities under relaxed quality norms following the crop damage.
In contrast, Madhya Pradesh bought 10.4 million tonnes, or the entire quantity of wheat procured under the fair-average quality norms. Purchases in the state were 34% higher on year amid higher cultivation and relatively limited weather-related crop damage.
Farmers across the country brought about 43.28 million tonnes of wheat to markets as of Sunday. Of this, government agencies bought over 82% or 35.76 million tonnes, indicating a strong government presence in the market.
With wheat procurement closed for the season on a strong note and foodgrain stocks swelling in the central pool, the government may soon start wheat sales under the open market scheme. Millers and traders are awaiting clarity on wheat allocation for the open market sales scheme to gauge market prices in the coming months.
Last year, wheat open market sales began in November but progressed unevenly, with temporary suspensions and irregular auction schedules. Although the government earmarked 3 million tonnes of wheat for open-market sales, it could sell only about 21% of it amid ample market supplies and weak demand.
The government procures food grains to maintain buffer stocks, feed 800 million people through welfare programmes, and check the rise in retail prices through open market sales.
Following is the state-wise progressive wheat procurement as of Jun. 28, compared with the year-ago period and the percentage difference:
| States | Target (in mln tn) | 2026-27 (in tonnes) | 2025-26 (in tonnes) | % chng |
| Punjab | 12.2 | 12,163,233 | 11,923,689 | 2.01 |
| Haryana | 7.2 | 8,120,596 | 7,082,919 | 14.7 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 10 | 10,436,803 | 7,774,491 | 34.2 |
| Rajasthan | 2.35 | 2,712,462 | 21,09,476 | 28.6 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2.5 | 2,156,420 | 1,027,321 | 109.9 |
| Total* | 34.59 | 3,57,57,258 | 2,99,52,348 | 19.38 |
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Source : INFORMIST
