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Rabi faces setback as wheat procurement witnesses sharp decline of 70%
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Wednesday, 22 April, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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The commencement of the 2026-27 Rabi marketing season has faced a significant setback, with government wheat procurement witnessing a sharp decline of nearly 70% compared to the previous year.
According to the latest data from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Central agencies have managed to procure only 15.30 lakh tonnes of wheat so far, a stark contrast to the 50.08 lakh tonnes collected during the same period last year.
?Shankar Thakkar, national secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), noted that the primary catalyst for this downturn is the recent spell of unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms across key agricultural belts.
This inclement weather has not only damaged standing crops in several regions but has also severely hindered the arrival of produce at various mandis.
Current figures show that total market arrivals have plummeted to 34.74 lakh tonnes, down from 92.72 lakh tonnes in the preceding season.
?State-wise data reveals a varied landscape: Haryana leads the procurement efforts with 11.23 lakh tonnes, followed by Uttarakhand at 1.66 lakh tonnes. However, traditional wheat hubs like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are reporting significantly lower numbers than usual.
?Thakkar added.that government has set a procurement target of 30.3 lakh tonnes for this season, offering a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 2,585 per quintal.
While the current shortfall is substantial, officials remain hopeful that as weather conditions stabilise, the pace of arrivals and subsequent government buying will gain momentum in the coming weeks.
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