Centre eases wheat procurement norms for Punjab after high-level meeting of Pralhad Joshi, Satnam Sandhu & Ravneet Bittu
Union Ministry for Consumer Affairs Takes Swift action on the Recommendation given by Union MoS Ravneet Bittu and MP Satnam Sandhu
Union Ministry for Consumer Affairs Issues Notification to Ease of Wheat Procurement Norms for Punjab and Chandigarh Farmers
MP Satnam Sandhu Extends Gratitude to PM Modi and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for Swift and Timely Action to Save Punjab Farmers from Distress
Babushahi Bureau
Mohali (Punjab), April 17, 2026: The Union Government has announced a relaxation in the procurement norms of wheat from the Mandis across Punjab and UT of Chandigarh. A notification in this regard was issued by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution today, easing off the norms for the Rabi marketing season (RMS) 2026-27 which has come as big relief for the Punjab farmers.
A joint representation in this regard was given by Union MoS for Railways Ravneet Bittu along with Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Satnam Singh Sandhu to the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi during a meeting in New Delhi.
The relaxation in the key quality parameter for wheat procurement had been demanded by the MP Satnam Sandhu for the farmers of Punjab who were struggling to sell their produce in Mandis as the crop of wheat was affected by the untimely rainfall in the months of March-April.
A request letter from Punjab government in this regard urging union government to relax the specifications for wheat procurement for central pool was sent on April 9, 2026. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs took swift action and formulated assessment teams which conducted ground assessment by visiting 70 mandis and collecting more than 300 samples.
MP Satnam Singh Sandhu thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for the prompt action in this regard which was backed by extensive field sampling and quick assessment done by the officials from FCI on the directions of the Union Minister. With this announcement, the farmers of Punjab will have a big relief as the notification issued by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has given a relaxation upto 70% in the limit of lustre loss of wheat.
The Union Government has also increased the limit of shrivelled and broken grains to be upto 15% against the existing limit of 6% under uniform specifications for the state of Punjab and UT Chandigarh.
MP Satnam Sandhu said, “The Union Government of India swiftly came into action after receiving the representation and immediately constituted ground teams to assess the situation and do extensive field sampling. As over 12 lakh metric tonnes of wheat already reached Punjab Mandis. The support from the Union Government has been timely help to support the farmers of Punjab.”
MP Sandhu added, “The Union Government has always stood behind the farmers of Punjab in difficult times.” He further added that the government had announced a similar easing off procurement norms for Punjab farmers in 2023 also.