Wheat

Flour millers want wheat buffer stocks raised to 18 million tonnes, urge free exports, GST relief on flour and warn of delayed sowing in Punjab due to floods

Food Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said the government will "positively" consider industry demands to allow exports of wheat products such as flour and semolina, while maintaining that food security remains the top priority. Speaking at the 85th annual general meeting of the Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFMF), Joshi said multiple ministries are involved in export decisions and emphasised the need to consider next year's wheat production. "Keeping consumer interest and food security in mind, we will positively look into it," Joshi said. "The government's top priority is ensuring the country's food security." India, the world's second-largest wheat producer after China, banned exports of wheat grain and subsequently wheat products in 2022 due to concerns over domestic food security, a smaller harvest, and rising inflation. The minister's comments came as the country achieved record wheat production of 117.5 million tonnes in the 2024-25 rabi season. "You are ask

State reserves of rice, including unmilled paddy, totalled a record 48.2 million metric tons as of September 1, far exceeding the government's target of 13.5 million tons for July 1

Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra dismissed the need for wheat sales under the open market scheme, citing adequate supplies and stable prices. Wheat procurement season has ended, with stocks sufficient

Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra on Thursday said there is no need to sell wheat from government stocks under the open market intervention scheme as supplies are adequate and prices stable. The government operates the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to regulate wheat supply and prices by selling surplus stocks from the central pool, managed by Food Corporation of India (FCI), directly to the market at preset reserve prices. "Adequate stocks are there. We have procured very healthy quantity. So there is adequate supply in the market. The prices are already stable. So there is no need of (wheat OMSS)," Chopra told reporters on the sidelines of an Indian Vegetable Oil Producers' Association (IVPA) Global roundtable. India sold about 3 million tonne of wheat under OMSS during 2024-25 fiscal year ended March, compared with about 10.1 million tonne in 2023-24. The country's wheat production is estimated at a record 117.5 million tonne in 2024-25 crop year.

The US tariff hike has rattled Bangladesh export sector, especially the ready-made garments industry, which fears losing competitiveness in one of its largest markets

Indian rice millers and exporters are upbeat about Bangladesh's "plan to import 9 lakh tonnes of rice", anticipating a boost in demand and better prices for the cereal, stakeholders said on Sunday. With India accounting for 46 per cent of global rice exports, the country is expected to "emerge as the primary beneficiary of the move for its proximity, availability, and competitive pricing", they said. "Of the total import plan, 4 lakh tonnes will be procured directly by the Bangladesh government through international tenders, while another 5 lakh tonnes will be imported by private traders of the neighbouring country. The decision comes earlier than usual, amid fear of crop loss due to heavy rain that could impact Bangladesh's Amon paddy currently being sown," Ricevilla Foods CEO Suraj Agarwal told PTI. Jai Baba Bakreswar Rice Mill Director Rahul Agarwal said the rice industry in the country, especially in Bengal, is well-positioned to benefit from the proposed plan by the Bangladesh

Wheat bran prices drop to almost ₹20 a kg from nearly ₹25 in May 2025

As the new rules, traders have been given 15 days to liquidate their excess wheat stocks and bring down the levels within the permissible limits

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said the government has procured more than 290 lakh tonnes of wheat so far this year and the figure may reach 320-325 lakh tonnes on record production. Total wheat purchase stood at 265.9 lakh tonnes in the 2024-25 marketing year (April-March). Bulk of procurement takes place during April-June period. "We have procured more than 290 lakh tonnes of wheat so far. Procurement operations are still undergoing. We may reach the figure of 320-325 lakh tonnes," Joshi told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here. The government has set a wheat procurement target of 312 lakh tonnes for 2025-26 marketing year. India is estimated to have harvested a record wheat crop of 115.3 million tonnes in 2024-25 crop year (July-June). Asked about allowing wheat exports, Joshi said he will consult other ministries on the issue after assessing the stock situation once the procurement season ends. State-owned Food Corporation of Ind

The country has harvested 38 per cent of the total wheat area of an estimated 32 million hectare so far in the ongoing 2025-26 marketing season, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. In view of the possibility of good yield of various rabi crops, Chouhan directed the officials to make better procurement arrangements for farmers. Wheat "harvesting conditions are better" in key growing states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Bihar, the minister said in a statement. The government has set a wheat procurement target of 31 million tonnes for the 2025-26 marketing season (April-March). As per the official data, farmers have completed harvesting in 91 per cent of the total rabi pulse areas, 87 per cent of oilseeds area, 70 per cent of Shree Anna and coarse cereals area and 33 per cent of rice area as on April 4. About 59 per cent of the total rabi crops area has been harvested as on April 4 across the country. Besides rabi crops like

The government has introduced a mandatory weekly wheat stock reporting requirement for traders, wholesalers, retailers and processors from all states and Union territories, starting April 1, as part of a comprehensive strategy to manage food security and prevent market speculation. Under the directive, all legal entities must declare their wheat stock positions on the government's online portal every Friday until further notice, according to an official statement. The wheat stock limit currently in place is set to expire on March 31. The Department of Food and Public Distribution will closely monitor the disclosures to control prices and ensure consistent wheat availability throughout the country. Entities not yet registered on the portal are urged to do so immediately and begin their weekly stock reporting, according to the statement.

At present, wheat prices in the Delhi mandis are ruling at around ₹3,000 per quintal, almost 24 per cent higher than the minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,425 per quintal

India, the world's second-biggest wheat producer, is counting on a bumper harvest in 2025 to avoid costly imports, after three consecutive years of poor crop yields since 2022

Over 300 villagers in Maharashtra's Buldhana suffer sudden hair loss, with tests revealing high selenium levels in Punjab-sourced ration wheat as the likely cause

The tightening has been done under the powers given to the Central government under the Essential Commodities Act

Rainfall across the country's northwest region, a major wheat growing belt, has been almost 80 per cent below normal since the beginning of the year, according to the India Meteorological Department

Despite continued price increases, exporters' margins remain low. In addition, bad weather at ports has had a direct impact on shipments

The cold wave days over Northwest India are also expected to be 'below-normal' in February

The government has set a conservative wheat procurement target of 30 million tonnes for the 2025-26 rabi marketing season, sources said. The lower procurement target comes despite the Agriculture Ministry aiming for a record wheat production of 115 million tonnes in the 2024-25 crop year (July-June). For the 2025-26 rabi marketing season starting April, the minimum support price for wheat has been fixed at Rs 2,425 per quintal. The procurement target was set following discussions with state food secretaries, the sources added. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies conduct wheat procurement to ensure farmers receive minimum support prices and to meet welfare scheme requirements. In 2024-25, government wheat procurement reached 26.6 million tonnes against a target of 30-32 million tonnes. While this exceeded the 26.2 million tonnes procured in 2023-24, it fell short of that year's 34.15 million tonne target. Wheat procurement in 2022-23 was just 18.8 million tonnes