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The food ministry has stated that its maintaining a close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
Revised Wheat Stock Holding Norms
According to the revised norms, wholesalers are allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 2,000 tonnes instead of 3,000 tonnes, retailers can hold 8 tonnes for each outlet instead of 10 tonnes, while big chain retailers can hold eight tonnes for each outlet instead of 10 tonnes earlier.
The flour millers and food processing will be allowed to maintain 60% instead of 70% of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months of this fiscal year.
“The move by the food ministry may not have much impact on prices as there are ample supplies of wheat in the market and the government is aiming to maintain availability in the market,” Navneet Chitlangia, president, Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, told FE.
Surplus Stocks and OMSS Pricing
In 2025, the government revised wheat stock limits twice – February 20, reducing limits to 250 tonne for traders and four tonnes per retail outlet, and then on May 27, increasing limits to 3,000 tonnes for traders and 10 tonnes per retail outlet, with the latest order valid until March 31, 2026.
Meanwhile, the food ministry has approved reserve price of wheat under open market sale (OMSS) to bulk buyers such a flour millers from surplus stocks of Food Corporation of India (FCI) at Rs 2550/quintal for 2025-26 against the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2425/quintal for the season.
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However , open market sale of wheat for bulk buyers is yet to commence, while the FCI currently has 33.79 million tonne (MT) of wheat against a buffer of 20.52 MT for October 1.
The food ministry has asked the wheat stocking to declare the wheat stock limit on the food ministry’s portal weekly.
The wheat production was estimated at a record 117.50 MT in 2024-25 crop year (July-June) and the FCI and state agencies purchased 30.03 MT in the 2025-26 marketing year (April-June).