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Informist, Monday, Jul. 28, 2025

By J. Navya Sruthi

MUMBAI – Wheat and maize prices rose in most markets Monday on firm demand, traders said. Lack of wheat sales by the government under the open market sales scheme also supported prices, they said. Traders expect prices of the staple grain to rise by more INR 100 per 100 kg on rising demand and delay in government sales.

WHEAT prices in Kota, Rajasthan, rose to INR 2,600 per 100 kg from INR 2,575 per 100 kg as the government is yet to start wheat sales, said Aniket Mehta, a local trader. The government said there is no immediate need for open market sales for wheat.

Thursday, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the government sees no immediate requirement to start open market sales of wheat in the rabi marketing year 2025-26 (Apr-Mar) as prices are largely stable and the market has adequate supply of the food grain.

Firm demand ahead of the festival season also supported wheat prices, Mehta said. He expects wheat prices to rise a further INR 100 per 100 kg in the near term. Arrivals were steady from the previous day at 8,000 bags (1 bag = 50 kg), he said.

Wheat prices in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, were up INR 20 at INR 2,850 per 100 kg, local trader Gaurav Kochar said. He said wheat prices can rise a further INR 100-INR 200 until the government begins open market sales. Prices of the staple grain in Vashi market in Navi Mumbai were steady at INR 2,800-INR 2,825 per 100 kg, said wholesale dealer Devendra Vora.  

Market participants expect the government to start wheat sales only at the end of August. The government typically begins wheat sales in the open market in July or August. The government has set a reserve price of INR 2,550 per 100 kg for open market sales of wheat in 2025-26.

MAIZE prices in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, were up INR 30 at INR 2,330 per 100 kg on firm demand, Kochar said. Although prices rose Monday, the upside in maize prices is limited by ample availability of rice to meet the demand from the ethanol sector.

He said 30-40% of the maize crop in the Gwalior region of Madhya Pradesh had been damaged by excess rainfall. "Due to excessive rainfall in the Gwalior belt, soybean and urad crops have been damaged," he said. "Additionally, the crop area has reduced as waterlogging in many fields has prevented sowing."

According to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, maize acreage in India was at 8.6 million hectares as of Friday, up nearly 9% on year. Kochar said maize output in the kharif season is likely to be at par with last year's output. However, there will be more clarity about production only after a month, he added.

Prices of 1401 basmati RICE at Vashi were steady at INR 7,300-INR 7,400 per 100 kg, Vora said. Prices of the 1121 basmati rice variety also remained steady at INR 7,800-INR 8,000 per 100 kg. Prices of sona masoori rice were steady from the previous day at INR 4,600 per 100 kg at Bhavanipuram in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, local trader Ravi Shankar said.  End

Edited by Nishant Maher

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