# India: Wheat stocks to drop to 16-year low, Centre asks states to prepare for early procurement

> India's food ministry expects central wheat stocks to fall to about 7.7-7.8 million tonnes by April 1, close to the 7.4 million tonne buffer and a 16-year low. The government has sold about 8 million tonnes in the open market to curb prices and asked states to prepare for early procurement, after procurement fell well short of targets.

- Date: 2024-02-20 · published 2024-02-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region India · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/31611-india-wheat-stocks-to-drop-to-16-year-low-centre-asks-states-to-prepare-for
- Commodities: [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Heavy Indian state selling and low stocks reduce the country's cushion and may lead to larger import demand or early procurement that tightens domestic supply, supporting wheat prices.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2023-06-12 | [India imposes wheat stock limit to arrest price rise](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35453-india-imposes-wheat-stock-limit-to-arrest-price-rise.md) | +1.1% | +0.2% |
| WHEAT | 2025-04-27 | [India to not allow wheat export even if govt procurement exceeds target - The HinduBusinessLine](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25055-india-to-not-allow-wheat-export-even-if-govt-procurement-exceeds-target-the.md) | -0.9% | -4.3% |
| WHEAT | 2020-07-03 | [India's Wheat Procurement at a Record High - Supply Chain Council of European Union \| Scceu.org](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52086-india-s-wheat-procurement-at-a-record-high-supply-chain-council-of-european.md) | -5.7% | -5.1% |
| WHEAT | 2025-11-14 | [India Set to Resume Wheat Product Exports After Three Years - Bloomberg](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21914-india-set-to-resume-wheat-product-exports-after-three-years-bloomberg.md) | +1.4% | +1.0% |
| WHEAT | 2016-11-29 | [Relief for Centre, as rice, wheat, arhar, potato prices stable despite demonetisation - Commodities News \| The Financial Express](https://feedsoft.ai/events/73830-relief-for-centre-as-rice-wheat-arhar-potato-prices-stable-despite.md) | +3.4% | +3.6% |

## Sources

- ukragroconsult.com: https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/india-wheat-stocks-to-drop-to-16-year-low-centre-asks-states-to-prepare-for-early-procurement/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.