For the 2025–2026 rabi marketing season, the government has set a watchful target of 30 million tons for wheat procurement, according to sources. Despite the Agriculture Ministry’s goal of producing a record 115 million tons of wheat in the 2024–25 crop year (July–June), the procurement target has been lowered. The minimum support price for wheat has been set at Rs 2,425 per quintal for the 2025–26 rabi marketing season, which begins in April. According to the sources, the procurement target was established after consulting with state food secretaries. Wheat procurement is carried out by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state organizations to guarantee farmers get minimum support prices and to fulfill welfare plan obligations. Against a target of 30-32 million tonnes, government wheat purchase in 2024–2025 came to 26.6 million tonnes. Even while this was more than the 26.2 million tonnes that were purchased in 2023–2024, it was still less than the 34.15 million tonnes goal for that year. Just 18.8 million tonnes of wheat were purchased in 2022–2023, far less than the 43.3-million-ton goal in 2021-22. Wheat sowing is nearly complete in many states, covering 31.9 million hectares so far, with current crop conditions reported as favourable.(Source-Money.rediff)