Concerned over farmers’ dissatisfaction over delayed wheat procurement in his parliamentary constituency, though it is all across Madhya Pradesh, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday directed collectors and other senior officers of the districts to speed up purchase and make necessary arrangements.

Chouhan conducted a detailed review of the wheat procurement situation in Vidisha parliamentary constituency through video conferencing, the union agriculture ministry said in a statement. The meeting was attended by MLAs of all the eight assembly constituencies – Vidisha, Sanchi, Ganjbasoda, Budhni, Bhojpur, Khategaon and Ichhawar, and senior officers, it said.

Though the procurement policy and implementation is supervised by the state government from Bhopal, nevertheless Chouhan directed the district level officials to ensure adequate arrangements, including jute or plastic bags, at all the procurement centres in full coordination with the people’s representatives. He said that farmers should not face any kind of inconvenience or inconvenience, and the procurement process should be made completely systematic, simple and farmer-friendly, according to the ministry statement.

Farmers’ pliants

Addressing an event to mark the Civil Services Day in New Delhi, Chouhan cited instances during wheat procurement where satellite-based verification led to discrepancies, causing distress to farmers. There are complaints of wheat farmers being denied selling their produce on the claim that they had grown other crops as per satellite data.

He also mentioned that he would take up the issue with the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. There were complaints from farmers regarding not able to book slot to bring their produce, as well as slow speed of the server causing the delay. “I will discuss with the government the issue of extending the last date of procurement, increasing the quantity of procurement, imposing more weights and continuing procurement even on holidays if required,” he said.

Though wheat procurement was supposed to begin from March 15 in Madhya Pradesh, as permitted by the Centre, the State government and its agencies started the purchase only late this month. Until April 20, the Centre has been able to buy 7.26 lakh tonnes (lt) of wheat from Madhya Pradesh against 47.15 lt in the corresponding period in 2025.

First time in many years

The State had told the Centre that the wheat procurement could be 78 lt in entire 2026-27 season against actual purchase of 77.74 lt in 2025-26.

Experts said that such low level of procurement in Madhya Pradesh has been seen for the first time in last many years despite the fact that the wheat crop is harvested much earlier compared to other northern States. The Centre procured 24.55 lt of wheat as of April 18, 2024, 31.98 lt as of April 19, 2023 and 21.58 lt as of April 20, 2022.

Farmer leader Kedar Sirohi, who hails from Harda district, said that since there is much higher procurement in other States, it is solely because of “incompetency” of the Madhya Pradesh government that farmers are unable to sell their produce. Citing that a tractor rally has been planned on April 28 at Harda by local farmers’ union, he said such protest would soon spread to other districts if the government does not buy.

Published on April 21, 2026