Rajasthan has extended its wheat procurement period under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme for the 2026-27 rabi marketing season until June 19, according to a senior official in the Food and Civil Supplies Department. The state has raised its wheat procurement target from 2.35 million metric tonnes (MMT) to 2.85 MMT, providing registered farmers with additional opportunities to sell their produce at support prices. As reported by the official, all registered farmers whose wheat had not yet been sold will now be able to sell their produce at the support price until the extended deadline.
According to the official, Rajasthan has procured 2.59 MMT of wheat from more than 3,00,000 farmers during the ongoing procurement season. The government is 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 reported by the official, this pricing structure positions Rajasthan among the states offering farmers some of the highest prices for wheat.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has blamed the government for farmer discontent, noting that procurement, which usually continues until June 30, was initially restricted to May 31 and has now been extended only till June 19. According to Gehlot, this leaves thousands of registered farmers waiting for their turn to sell wheat. In a statement, the senior Congress leader alleged that resentment among farmers in Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and other parts of the state over wheat procurement is the result of the government's short-sightedness. He alleged that farmers, particularly from border districts, have held protests alleging irregularities in wheat procurement and mismanagement at procurement centres.
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, as noted by Gehlot. 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. Gehlot has warned that due to moisture, the produce may get rejected, forcing farmers to sell their crops at throwaway prices to middlemen if timely action is not taken. He urged the state government to immediately extend the procurement deadline to June 30 and increase the procurement target to provide relief to farmers.
Responding to the criticism, the official stated that the government has directed all concerned agencies to carry out procurement in line with the revised targets and ensure farmers do not face inconvenience. The official added that adequate arrangements have been made for the safe storage of procured wheat. As reported by the official, the state government led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma is consistently taking farmer-friendly decisions prioritising farmers' interests.
