For the first time, wheat procurement crosses one lakh metric tonnes in the first week of April

Lucknow : In a major boost to farmers, the Yogi Adityanath government has recorded an unprecedented start to this year’s wheat procurement season. For the first time, over one lakh metric tonnes of wheat was purchased within the first week of April, marking a significant achievement in the state’s agricultural efforts.

The state government ensured doorstep procurement by deploying mobile purchasing centers directly to villages, streamlining the process for farmers. So far, wheat has been procured from 20,409 farmers, while more than 3.56 lakh farmers have registered for wheat sale. The procurement drive will continue until June 15.

To ensure smooth wheat procurement, the Yogi government took proactive steps by reaching out to farmers through village-to-village visits before the harvest season, motivating them to sell their produce at government procurement centers. Significant improvements were made in the registration and verification systems, and for the first time, the Food and Civil Supplies Department introduced mobile procurement centers that reached farmers directly in the field. While harvesting is ongoing, wheat is being weighed and processed on-site for immediate procurement.

Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s guidance, procurement centers remain open even on holidays, making it convenient for farmers to sell their wheat. Additionally, the government introduced a system where registered farmers can sell up to 100 quintals of wheat without the need for verification. After verification, farmers are allowed to sell up to three times their total production capacity, ensuring that they face no barriers due to verification errors or discrepancies in records.

On the instructions of the Chief Minister, proper arrangements have been made at procurement centers, including seating, access to clean drinking water, and other necessary facilities. CM Yogi has also directed officials to ensure that farmers receive their payments within 48 hours of selling their wheat, enhancing efficiency and providing financial relief to the farmers.

Registration for wheat procurement began on March 1, and over 3.56 lakh farmers in Uttar Pradesh have already registered. It is mandatory for farmers to register or renew their registration on the Food and Logistics Department’s official portal fcs.up.gov.in or via the department’s mobile app UP KISHAN MITRA to sell their produce.

The department has also advised farmers to bring only cleaned and properly dried wheat—free from soil, pebbles, dust, and other impurities—to the procurement centers.

According to the Food and Civil Supplies Department, wheat is being procured daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Yogi government has directed that farmers should not face any inconvenience during the procurement process.

For assistance in case of any issues, the department has issued a toll-free number: 1800-1800-150. Additionally, farmers may contact their District Food Marketing Officer, the Tehsil’s Regional Marketing Officer, or the Block-level Marketing Officer for support.

For the Rabi marketing year 2025–26, the Central Government has fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat at Rs 2,425 per quintal, an increase of Rs 150 from last year’s rate of Rs 2,275 per quintal. To ensure seamless procurement, 5,780 procurement centers have been set up by eight purchasing agencies, including the Food Department. Payments to farmers are being made directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), with a target of completion within 48 hours of procurement.

The Yogi government has implemented several key reforms to benefit farmers. Between 2017–18 and 2024–25, the government procured 233.99 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and disbursed Rs 43,424.44 crore to 49.69 lakh farmers—more than three times the procurement under the previous administration. In contrast, from 2012 to 2017, only 94.38 lakh metric tonnes of wheat were purchased, and farmers received just Rs 12,808 crore, largely due to the dominance of middlemen.