Wheat Procurement

Govt further tightens stock limit on wheat to check hoarding, price hike

The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise. "As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement. According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier. Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025. The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and

Indian wheat prices hit record high due to strong demand, supply crunch

The record prices are likely to lift retail inflation that surged to a 14-month high in October, driven by a jump in vegetable prices and dashing hopes of an interest rate cut by the RBI next month

FCI wheat procurement hits 26.6 mn tonnes, surpassing last year's purchase

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has procured 26.6 million tonnes of wheat during the current Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2024-25, surpassing last year's figure of 26.2 million tonnes, the government said on Wednesday. The procurement, which began earlier than usual this year, has benefited more than 2.2 million farmers who received about Rs 61 lakh crore directly in their bank accounts as payment at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), it said in a statement. The government had set the MSP for wheat at Rs 2,275 per quintal for the current season (April-March). States like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan showed significant improvements in their wheat procurement, the statement said. Uttar Pradesh procured 9,31,000 tonnes compared to 2,20,000 tonnes last year, while Rajasthan achieved 12 lakh tonnes, up from 4.38 lakh tonnes in the previous season. In addition to wheat, the government reported that paddy procurement during the 2023-24 Kharif Marketing season exceeded 77.5 million tonnes

Wheat procurement tops last year's level; Madhya Pradesh sees big dip

In a statement, the government said 26.29 million tonnes (mt) of wheat has been procured for the Central pool which during the same period last year was 26.16 mt

Wheat procurement exceeds last year's total of 26.2 million tonnes

Wheat procurement for the 2024-25 marketing year has surpassed last year's total of 262.02 lakh tonnes, boosted by strong contributions from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, the government said on Friday. In a statement, the government said 262.48 lakh tonnes of rabi (winter)-sown grain has already been purchased for the central pool, benefiting 22.31 lakh farmers, with a minimum support price outflow of Rs 59,715 crore. The major procuring states were Punjab with 124.26 lakh tonnes, Haryana with 71.49 lakh tonnes, Madhya Pradesh with 47.78 lakh tonnes, Rajasthan with 9.66 lakh tonnes and Uttar Pradesh with 9.07 lakh tonnes. Wheat procurement normally runs from April to March, but the Centre this year allowed states to make purchases based on crop arrivals. In most states, the procurement began in early March. The government has set a wheat procurement target of 300-320 million tonnes for the 2024-25 marketing year. Rice procurement is also progressing smoothly, with 728

Wheat purchases by govt at 25.4 mn tonnes, 1.5% lower than last year

However, trade and industry officials say the world's second-biggest wheat producer won't be able to achieve its procurement target of 30-32 million tons

Govt buys 19.6 mn tonne wheat, more than annual demand for welfare schemes

The government has bought over 196 lakh tonne of wheat so far in the ongoing 2024-25 marketing year, surpassing its annual requirement of 186 lakh tonne for all welfare schemes including the National Food Security Act. Now, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) -- the government's nodal agency for procurement and distribution of foodgrains -- is making efforts to meet its target of buying 310-320 lakh tonne in the 2024-25 marketing year to augment buffer stocks and keep surplus grains for making intervention in the open market, if needed, to control retail prices. Procurement of wheat, a major rabi (winter-sown) crop, is down 11 per cent so far from 219.5 lakh tonne in the same period last year. This is mainly due to lower purchases in Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. "Government's procurement is going on smoothly, Till now, we have procured 196 lakh tonne whereas the annual requirement of Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes is 186 lakh tonne," FCI CMD

Wheat procurement for 2024-25 sees slight dip, but likely to pick up soon

India has targeted to procure around 37 million tonnes of wheat this year while last year the actual procurement was over 26 million tonnes

Flour millers' survey predicts better wheat production over last year

Flour millers' estimate of 105.79 mt differs from the govt's 2024-25 projection of wheat production at 112 mt

Govt aims 7-fold jump in wheat procurement from UP, Rajasthan, Bihar

Amid the heat of the ongoing Lok Sabha electioneering, the Centre has announced plans to significantly increase wheat purchase from non-traditional states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar and set a target of seven-fold jump in procurement to 50 lakh tonnes in the ongoing 2024-25 marketing year. Further, even as the ban on outbound shipments of wheat continues, "it will be a dream for us to export now", Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra told reporters on Thursday. "UP, Bihar, and Rajasthan have been contributing much less than they could have. We are targeting total wheat procurement of 310 lakh tonne this year. Of which, we are hoping to procure at least 50 lakh tonne from three non-traditional procurement states alone," he said. While Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar put together contributed only 6.7 lakh tonnes to the central pool during the 2023-24 marketing year (April-March), the Union Food Ministry has decided to procure 16 per cent of the total wheat procurement target o

Govt eyes savings in major subsidies; spending on food at 84% of RE

The data also shows that the government's external financing of the deficit has reached 148 per cent of the Revised Estimate till February 2024

Govt sets wheat procurement target of 30-32 mn tonnes for 2024-25 season

The government has fixed a conservative target of wheat procurement in the range of 30-32 million tonnes for the 2024-25 rabi marketing season, according to the food ministry. The lower target has been fixed despite the Ministry of Agriculture hoping for a record wheat production of 114-115 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June). The target was fixed after a deliberation with state food secretaries in a meeting chaired by Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra in the national capital on Wednesday. "After deliberations, the estimates for wheat procurement during the ensuing rabi marketing season of 2024-25 were fixed in the range of 30-32 million tonnes," the ministry said in a statement. Apart from wheat, the ministry has fixed a rabi paddy procurement target in terms of rice in the range of 9-10 million tonnes. The government has also set a procurement target of 6,00,000 tonnes for rabi coarse grains /millets (Shri Anna). In the meeting, the Centre has asked states and

No impact of MSP turmoil on wheat buying: Food secy Sanjeev Chopra

The wheat procurement season usually starts from April 1 in most parts of the country but in the coming season the government has given freedom to the states to advance the purchase dates

Govt hopeful of resolving farmers' concerns before wheat procurement season

The government is hopeful of finding a resolution to the concerns of farmers before the start of wheat procurement season from March, Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said on Thursday. His comments also come against the backdrop of farmers' protest raising various demands, including guaranteed minimum support price for crops. At a briefing here, he also said that wheat crop is in good condition and procurement may commence early depending on arrivals in growing states. Barring rice, prices of wheat, wheat flour, sugar and edible oils are stable, he said. According to him, there is no proposal to allow further diversion of sugar for ethanol production.

Govt sells 7.1 mn tonnes wheat in open mkt to keep prices under control

The government on Wednesday said 71.01 lakh tonnes of wheat and 1.62 lakh tonnes of rice have been sold through auction so far in the open market to keep prices under control. "In order to increase the availability of wheat and rice in the open market and to control the prices of wheat and rice, the Government has been offloading wheat and rice in the market through weekly e-auction from June 28, 2023," an official statement said. A total of 101.5 lakh tonnes of wheat and 25 lakh tonnes of rice have been allocated by the central government for offloading under the Open Market Sale Scheme. Wheat is being offered at a reserve price of Rs 2,150 per quintal for Fair and Average Quality (FAQ) and Rs 2125 per quintal for Under Relaxed Specifications (URS). The reserve price of rice is being kept at Rs 2,900 per quintal. Till January 24, 2024, 71.01 LMT wheat has been sold under OMSS. The first e-auction of rice under OMSS for 2023-24 was held on July 5, 2023. Till January 24, 2024, 1.62

Wheat production likely to be good this year: Agri Minister Arjun Munda

The country's wheat production is expected to be good this year amid higher coverage, according to Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda. The sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, that began in October has been completed. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are the top three states having the maximum area under wheat coverage. "As per the sowing data, wheat has been covered in more area and we expect good production this year," Munda told PTI. As per the ministry's data, the total acreage under the wheat crop remained higher at 336.96 lakh hectares till the last week of the current rabi season of the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), as against 335.67 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. On January 3, Food Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K Meena indicated that the country could achieve a new record in wheat production at 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-24 crop year provided weather conditions remain normal. Wheat production stood at a record

Govt revises down 2022-23 wheat output by 2.19 MT to record 110.55 MT

The government on Wednesday revised downwards the wheat production by 2.19 million tonnes to a record 110.55 million tonnes for the 2022-23 crop year ended June, as per the agriculture ministry data released on Wednesday. The country's actual wheat production stood at 107.74 million tonnes in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June). The ministry releases three estimates before the final one at different stages of harvesting. As per the final estimate of foodgrain production for the 2022-23 crop year, wheat production has set a new record at 110.55 million tonnes but remains lower by 2.19 million tonnes from the third estimate of 112.74 million tonnes for the same crop year. Unseasonal rains during the harvesting time have led to some loss, resulting in the revision of the crop estimate downward in the final estimate. As per the final estimate, rice production is estimated to be a record 135.75 million tonnes in 2022-23 against 129.47 million tonnes in the previous year. Coarse cereals

Wheat procurement breaches 26 MMT mark; surpasses last year's by 7.4 MMT

The ministry further added that 2.127 million farmers have already benefitted from the ongoing wheat procurement operations with a Minimum Support Price (MSP) outflow of about Rs. 47,000 crores

More than 12.56 mn metric tonnes wheat procured in Punjab: Report

He ordered closure of wheat procurement operations that started on April 1 in the state from May 26

Despite missing purchase goal, Centre's wheat stocks better than last year

But with the Covid-era free food grain schemes rolled back, the stock position may be more comfortable, even as exports have been banned