Arhtiyas Strike As Wheat Procurement Begins

April 1, 2026

Ludhiana: With the start of the wheat procurement season in Punjab, commission agents have announced a strike starting Wednesday. They have made it clear that they will not purchase wheat in the mandis during this period.

This situation has arisen despite the state government claiming that all preparations for procurement have been completed.

Arhtiyas Dissatisfied With Commission Hike
Arhtiyas’ main demand is regarding their commission rate. They want a commission of 2.5 percent of the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Currently, the MSP for wheat is ₹2585 per quintal.

Although the central government recently increased their commission from ₹46 to ₹50.75 per quintal, commission agents say this increase is too low and not sufficient to cover their costs.

Concerns over storage and imported wheat
This massive procurement campaign faces two major challenges—transporting 2.2 million metric tons of grain from Punjab to other states and preventing farmers from other states from selling wheat in Punjab.

Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has directed district food supply controllers to maintain strict vigil in the mandis, especially in border districts, to prevent the entry of imported wheat.

Hopes for storage and lifting
The state government is still awaiting the central government’s deployment of additional trains to expedite the lifting of old grain stocks.

According to sources in the Food and Civil Supplies Department, approximately 10 million metric tons of storage capacity is available for this year’s grain. Last year, during the wheat season, the central government lifted 2.1 million metric tons of grain, and this time too, lifting is expected to begin soon.