Wheat Procurement in Punjab

February 28, 2026

The Rabi season, a traditional crop cycle, is underway in India and Punjab. The wheat crop is almost ready in the fields. After harvesting, farmers are eager to sell their produce and reap the rewards of their hard work. Farmers prefer to sell their wheat in regular mandis, where they receive the lowest support price without any disputes. Punjab has the highest wheat procurement. The wheat procurement season will begin in Punjab on April 1st. The government has set a target of 13.2 million metric tons for wheat procurement.

A meeting of the Group of Ministers appointed to prepare for procurement arrangements was held. It was informed that this time wheat will be procured at Rs. 2585 per quintal.

Storage of wheat brought to the mandis is a frequent problem.

Regarding this, the Group of Ministers stated that if the Central Government lifts 1.5 million metric tons of wheat from its warehouses every month, the situation could be resolved. It should be clarified that the central government is currently lifting 5 lakh metric tons of wheat and 5 lakh metric tons of rice per month. This means that to ensure smooth procurement and sale in the markets and address the crop storage problem, the central government will have to triple the pace of lifting crops already stored in warehouses. This has not been the case in the past, and therefore, crops lying in the open often fall victim to inclement weather due to lack of storage.

The government says that adequate arrangements have been made for tarpaulins to cover the exposed wheat. Farmers will also not be allowed to face any shortage of gunny bags.Typically, the weather deteriorates slightly around Baisakhi. Bad weather poses a threat to wheat stored in the open. In such a situation, the problem is exacerbated by the lack of adequate tarpaulins and sacks.

This time, the government promises to rectify this shortcoming and ensure adequate tarpaulins and sacks are available. Meanwhile, the commission agents who sell this wheat have demanded an increase in their commission from 45 rupees to 64 rupees. Punjab’s Group of Ministers stated, “We have recommended this demand and sent it to the central government. We hope that this time the weather will not deteriorate and farmers will be able to comfortably sell their crops in the markets and receive remuneration for their produce.”