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Centre sets wheat procurement target at 303 LMT for RMS 2026-27
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Tuesday, 10 March, 2026, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has set the wheat procurement target at 303 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) for the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2026-27 following a review meeting with State Food Secretaries held in New Delhi.
The meeting was chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution and attended by Food Secretaries from various States and Union Territories as well as officials from the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Key issues related to foodgrain procurement, public distribution and storage were discussed during the deliberations.
In addition to wheat procurement targets, the Centre also finalized estimates for paddy procurement for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26 (Rabi crop) at 76 LMT in terms of rice. States have also been advised to procure approximately 7.79 LMT of coarse grains, including millets (Shri Anna) during the same period.
To support the expected procurement operations, the government has arranged adequate packaging materials, including 7.83 lakh jute bales and 9.22 lakh HDPE bags, to facilitate smooth handling and storage of food grains.
During the meeting, the Centre also reviewed the progress of several technology-driven initiatives aimed at strengthening the Public Distribution System (PDS). These include the Anna Chakra supply chain optimization tool, implementation of Vehicle Location Tracking System (VLTS) in states, and onboarding of state food department godowns on the Depot Darpan portal.
Other reforms discussed included proposed changes in the Subsidy Claim Application for NFSA (SCAN), the use of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in subsidy mechanisms, and initiatives such as Smart PDS, Sarthak PDS, and AI-based systems to improve efficiency and transparency in foodgrain management.
States also shared best practices in foodgrain management. Andhra Pradesh highlighted the use of QR code tagging on jute bags and automated subsidy bill generation, while Chhattisgarh showcased the use of Agristack for procurement. Gujarat presented its model of doorstep delivery at fair price shops with verification by vigilance committee members.
The meeting emphasised continued collaboration between the Centre and states to improve procurement, distribution efficiency and transparency in India’s food security ecosystem.
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