The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has surpassed its wheat procurement of 26.6 million tonnes (mt) from last year, collecting 27.36 mt as of May 4, 2025, for buffer stock maintenance. This marks a significant rise from 23.13 mt during the same period last year. The Agriculture Ministry has projected a record wheat output of 115.43 mt for the 2024–25 crop year (July–June), boosting confidence in achieving the government's revised procurement goal. Revised Procurement Target Initially targeting 31.27 mt, the Centre later revised its all-India procurement target to 33.27 mt, increasing Madhya Pradesh’s target from 6 mt to 8 mt. As of May 4, procurement in the state has reached 7.27 mt, a sharp jump from 3.89 mt last year. Punjab Slips Slightly Procurement from Punjab, which began on March 10, has reached 11.19 mt, slightly below last year's 11.27 mt. This dip is attributed to aggressive private buying, as traders anticipated limited FCI wheat availability due to higher sales in the 2023–24 season. With tender shortages for milling demand, some millers reportedly paid over ₹3,100/quintal—well above the government’s reserve price of ₹2,300/quintal. Other State Performances Haryana: Procurement is slightly up at 6.77 mt (vs. 6.72 mt last year). Rajasthan: A major jump to 1.28 mt from 0.55 mt last year. Uttar Pradesh: Remains a concern with only 0.85 mt procured so far, despite being marginally better than last year’s 0.68 mt. Policy Adjustments Ahead Wheat contributions from Uttar Pradesh remain insufficient for the Central Pool, which supports public distribution and food emergencies. In previous years, the Centre had replaced wheat with rice in ration allocations. While some wheat was reintroduced in late 2024, the final allocation for ration shops will depend on total procurement achieved this season. With the procurement crossing last year’s figures and nearing the revised national target, the government is likely to meet buffer stock norms. However, regional disparities—particularly in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh—will influence allocation policies and market dynamics in the months ahead.