Crime Today News
Against a target of 2 mt, Rajasthan’s procurement had reached 2.1 mt by June 18 – a notable increase from the 1.2 mt purchased during the entire season last year.Â
| Photo Credit:
PTI
Thanks to an extended and robust procurement drive in Rajasthan, India’s wheat procurement for the current season, which began on April 1, has successfully reached 30 million tonnes (mt). This significant achievement – the highest in four years – provides the government with a crucial buffer to intervene in the open market should prices begin to escalate.
Rajasthan’s continued efforts, even as operations wound down in most other States, proved instrumental in pushing the national total to this milestone, highlighting the State’s pivotal role in bolstering India’s food security.
After a record procurement of 43.34 mt in 2021-22, government wheat purchases had consistently missed targets in subsequent years: 18.79 mt in 2022-23 (against a target of 44.4 mt), 26.2 mt in 2023-24 (34.15 mt), and 26.61 mt in 2024-25 (37.3 mt). For the current year, the initial target has been set at 33.37 mt.
Mixed bag for States
While official procurement in major wheat-producing States like Punjab and Haryana concluded as scheduled on May 15, and other States saw dwindling arrivals, Rajasthan emerged as a late-season strong performer. Against a target of 2 mt, the State’s procurement had reached 2.1 mt by June 18 – a notable increase from the 1.2 mt purchased during the entire season last year. Rajasthan’s wheat production for the 2024-25 crop year is estimated at 11.38 mt.
An official source indicated that by May 25, all-India procurement had neared the 30 mt mark, reaching 29,775,846 tonnes. Subsequently, with limited contributions from Uttar Pradesh (less than 6,000 tonnes) and Bihar (under 350 tonnes), it was Rajasthan’s additional 225,516 tonnes over the last 25 days that pushed the national total past 30 mt to 30,002,919 tonnes by June 18, breaking the previous pattern.
Individual State performances presented a mixed picture. Despite Punjab’s forecast of a bumper harvest exceeding 17.91 mt, its procurement reached only 11.93 mt, falling short of the 12.4 mt target and also lower than last year’s 12.47 mt. The higher volume of arrivals, around 13 mt, suggests a significant portion was purchased by the private sector. Millers in Punjab noted that private processors acquired approximately 0.5 mt more wheat this year, having faced considerable challenges in sourcing supplies and relying heavily on government auctions in 2024.
Similarly, Haryana’s procurement of 7.14 mt was slightly lower than its assured 7.5 mt, though largely in line with last year’s 7.15 mt, against an estimated production of 11.48 mt and arrivals of 7.27 mt. In Madhya Pradesh, procurement concluded at 7.77 mt, surpassing last year’s 4.84 mt, against a revised target of 8 mt.
Despite the procurement window extending until June 30, no fresh arrivals were recorded at government centres after May 18. The State’s production is estimated at 23.37 mt. Conversely, Uttar Pradesh registered a modest procurement of 1.03 mt, significantly below its 3 mt target, despite an estimated production of 36.24 mt and mandi arrivals of 4.57 mt, between April 1 and June 18. However, this figure is still an improvement over the 0.93 mt procured in the same period last year.
A key factor driving higher farmer participation in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan was the bonus paid by their respective State governments over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹2,425/quintal. The Union Agriculture Ministry’s third advance estimates project a record national wheat production of 117.51 mt for the 2024-25 crop year, further solidifying the nation’s food security outlook.
Published on June 19, 2025
📰 Crime Today News is proudly sponsored by DRYFRUIT & CO – A Brand by eFabby Global LLC
Design & Developed by Yes Mom Hosting
