Strengthen MSP procurement of wheat and paddy

Reviewed 10 October 2026. This is a continuing commitment to strengthen MSP procurement, with no manifesto quantity target. Actual buying, rather than the latest Cabinet approval alone, supports On Track. PIB recorded UP wheat procurement rising from 2.20 lakh MT in 2023-24 to 9.31 lakh MT in 2024-25. The state Budget 2026-27 records 10.27 lakh MT in 2025-26, with about ₹2,512 crore paid to farmers; its paddy figure of 42.96 lakh MT is a snapshot, not a final season total. A June 2026 report quoting the principal secretary records 21.564 lakh MT of wheat procured in 2026, compared with 10.273 lakh MT the previous season. On 9 October, the Cabinet approved the next paddy procurement policy: a 65-lakh-MT target, 4,500 centres, MSP of ₹2,441/quintal for common paddy and ₹2,461 for Grade A, and a 48-hour payment arrangement. Western UP procurement is scheduled to start on 12 October and eastern UP on 1 November. These are planned arrangements, not completed procurement or verified payment performance. Recent recovery and continuing procurement support On Track, but do not establish uninterrupted growth: official pre-election records show a much higher wheat total of 56.41 lakh MT in 2021-22. Final seasonal purchases, farmer coverage and payment timeliness need continued review. Confidence remains medium because the newest season-end and Cabinet details rely on reporting, with no independent payment audit.