Rajasthan extends wheat procurement till June 19; Gehlot seeks June 30

Rajasthan extended wheat procurement till June 19 and raised its target, while Ashok Gehlot alleged delays, gunny bag shortages and hardships for farmers

The Rajasthan government and the Opposition are at odds over wheat procurement in the state, with each side presenting a different picture. While the government says procurement is progressing smoothly, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has flagged concerns over the shortened procurement window and an alleged shortage of gunny bags.

 

A senior official in the Food and Civil Supplies Department said the state’s wheat procurement target has been raised from 2.35 million metric tonnes (MMT) to 2.85 MMT, and the procurement period under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme for the 2026-27 rabi marketing season has been extended till June 19.

 

“All registered farmers whose wheat had not yet been sold will now be able to sell their produce at the support price until June 19,” the official said. He said that extending the procurement period will offer farmers an additional opportunity to sell their produce at a fair price.

 

According to the official, the state has procured 2.59 MMT of wheat from more than 3,00,000 farmers. The government is also providing a bonus of ₹150 per quintal over and above the MSP of ₹2,585 per quintal, taking the effective procurement price to ₹2,735 per quintal. As a result, Rajasthan is among the states offering farmers some of the highest prices for wheat, the official said.

 

Gehlot, however, blamed the government for the discontent among farmers. In recent weeks, farmers, particularly from border districts, have held protests alleging irregularities in wheat procurement and mismanagement at procurement centres.

 

“The farmers’ outrage across the state, including in Ganganagar and Hanumangarh, is a consequence of the government’s shortsightedness,” Gehlot said on Monday. 

 

He noted that procurement, which usually continues until June 30, was initially restricted to May 31 and has now been extended only till June 19, leaving thousands of registered farmers waiting for their turn to sell wheat.

 

Gehlot also alleged that a shortage of gunny bags and slow lifting of stocks had worsened the situation. With the threat of unseasonal rain looming, lakhs of quintals of wheat lying in the open are at risk of damage due to moisture and possible rejection, he said.

 

With the procurement deadline approaching, farmers may be forced to sell their produce to middlemen at lower prices if the date is not extended further, he added.

 

“I urge the state government to immediately extend the procurement deadline to June 30 (as is customary), increase the procurement target, and expedite the lifting of wheat from mandis to provide relief to farmers,” Gehlot said.

 

Responding to the criticism, the official said the government has directed all concerned agencies to carry out procurement in line with the revised targets and ensure farmers do not face inconvenience.

 

He added that adequate arrangements have been made for the safe storage of procured wheat. “Prioritising farmers’ interests, the state government led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is consistently taking farmer-friendly decisions,” the official said.