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Informist, Friday, Apr. 24, 2026

By Shreya Shetty

MUMBAI – Prices of grains were unchanged in key spot markets across the country on Friday, traders said. Wheat prices were unchanged amid stable demand, they said. Prices of the staple grain are likely to be range-bound to firm in the short term amid need-based demand and the government's ongoing procurement, they said. Maize prices could rise in the near term as its acreage is likely to fall in the upcoming kharif season, they said. Rice prices were unchanged amid some domestic demand, they said.

WHEAT prices in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, were steady at INR 2,570 per 100 kg, Gaurav Kochar, a local trader, said. Prices have stabilised after rising for three consecutive days amid lower arrivals and a rise in demand, he said. Demand for clean wheat had risen in the past few days, which had prompted millers to increase their purchases so that they could process and clean the grain to sell it further to traders and stockists, he said. "Last three days they (millers) have bought plenty, so today's (Friday's) prices have stabilised," he said. 

Prices are expected to remain range-bound with a positive bias in the near term, with steady demand for the grain amid the government's ongoing procurement, Kochar said. On Thursday, the Centre increased the wheat procurement target in Madhya Pradesh for the rabi marketing season 2026-27 (Apr-Mar) to 10 million tonnes from the previously sanctioned amount of 7.8 million tonnes. 

The market is yet to feel the impact of the announcement, Kochar said. Prices could rise once the government's procurement pace picks up, he said. Madhya Pradesh is the second-largest wheat producing state in the country.

Prices of wheat in Kota, Rajasthan, were steady at INR 2,355-INR 2,410 per 100 kg, said Ravi Mehta, a local trader. Arrivals were also steady at 70,000 bags (1 bag = 50 kg), he said. "It has been nearly the same scenario in the market this week now, there's just enough demand to keep prices steady," he said. Prices are also supported by the government's ongoing procurement, he said. As of Monday, the government had purchased 400,573 tonnes of wheat, down from 674,501 tonnes procured in the same period last year, data from the Food Corp. of India showed.

The price of wheat in Vashi in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, was also steady at INR 2,600 per 100 kg, said Devendra Vora, a local trader.

The price of MAIZE in Indore were steady at INR 1,965 per 100 kg, Kochar said. Prices are likely to rise in the near term as the market anticipates a fall in maize acreage in the upcoming kharif season, he said. The onset of El Nino in the second half of 2026 is likely to cause below-normal rainfall in India during the southwest monsoon, according to the India Meteorological Department. "Maize crop needs more water than other crops, so farmers will be less interested in kharif season," he said. Farmers are also likely to be discouraged by the prevailing prices of the coarse grain, which are much below the minimum support price of INR 2,400 per 100 kg, he said.

Prices of maize in Davanagere, Karnataka, were steady at INR 1,750-INR 1,850 per 100 kg, said Shiva Kumar, a local trader. Arrivals were steady at 1,000 bags (1 bag = 50 kg), he said.

Prices of RICE varieties remained steady in Vashi, Vora said. Prices of 1401 basmati rice were unchanged at INR 9,700-INR 9,800 per 100 kg, and of 1121 basmati rice at INR 10,000-INR 10,200 per 100 kg, he said. Prices are steady amid some demand for the grain in domestic markets amid low supply, he said. Excess rainfall had impacted the basmati rice crop in top producers such as Punjab in August last year, which is keeping supplies tight, he said. However, a rise in prices is unlikely as demand is largely limited, he said.  End

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

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