Wheat procurement hits 28.66 million tonne, surpasses last year ahead of target deadline

India’s wheat procurement has surpassed the previous year’s level, reaching 28.66 million tonnes so far in the 2025–26 marketing year, according to official data released on Thursday. This marked the highest procurement since the 2022–23 marketing year, buoyed by expectations of a record wheat output of 115.3 million tonnes this season.

In comparison, total wheat procurement during the 2024–25 marketing year stood at 26.59 million tonnes, according to PTI report.

The wheat marketing year runs from April to March, with the majority of procurement typically taking place within the first three months. Procurement is conducted by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies, who purchase wheat at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the central pool.

As of May 16, all five major wheat-procuring states—Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh—have recorded higher procurement figures compared to last year.

• Punjab leads with 11.57 million tonnes,
• followed by Madhya Pradesh at 7.40 million tonnes,
• Haryana at 7.01 million tonnes, and
• Rajasthan at 1.64 million tonnes.

So far, MSP payments totalling Rs 62,346.23 crore have been disbursed, benefiting approximately 2.27 million farmers, according to FCI data.

Wheat harvesting operations have concluded in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, while partial harvesting continues in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Despite the positive momentum, current procurement remains slightly below the target of 31.2 million tonnes set for the 2025–26 marketing year.