124 LMT wheat, 173 LMT paddy bought from Punjab in 2 years: Centre

A total of 124.66 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and 173.59 LMT of paddy was procured by the Union Government in Punjab in the past two years, Union Minister of State Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya said on Wednesday.

She also said that 8.44 LMT of wheat was lifted and 8.07 LMT distributed in 2024-25. As much as 5.44 LMT of wheat was lifted and 8.22 LMT distributed in 2025-26 in the northern state.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister said the procurement operation is a continuously evolving one and during the past few years, processes under Minimum Support Price (MSP) have improved to ensure payment of MSP to farmers’ bank accounts directly instead of payment through ‘arhtiyas’.

She said linkage of Aadhaar and land records with the state’s procurement portals has also ensured Punjab farmers get direct benefits of the MSP purchase.

The Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said no complaints were received regarding delays, storage losses or price rise of essential commodities.

The Minimum Support Price for wheat has been set at Rs 2,585 per quintal for the 2026-27 rabi marketing season, representing a 6.59 per cent increase over the previous year’s Rs 2,425. This hike aims to provide higher returns to farmers, with a projected 105 per cent margin over the cost of production.