More Stories

Informist, Tuesday, May 12, 2026

 

By Shreya Shetty

 

MUMBAI – Prices of grains were unchanged in key spot markets across the country, traders said. Prices of wheat prices were steady amid stable demand, while those of maize were also unchanged as demand was on par with supply, they said. Rice prices were steady due to tepid market activity, they said. Maize prices are expected to decline in the near term as arrivals of the summer crop from Bihar will begin soon, they said.

WHEAT prices in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, were steady at INR 2,580 per 100 kg, said Gaurav Kochar, a local trader. Prices were unchanged amid stable demand, with little change in market activity, he said. With comfortable supply of the staple grain, prices are likely to be largely range-bound in the near term. Wheat production in 2025–26 (Jul-Jun) is likely to fall on year to 110 million tonnes as unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms have hit top producing states in March and April, leading to crop loss and damage, he said. However, the on-year fall in output is unlikely to impact prices or overall availability due to ample availability of carryover stocks with the government, stockists, traders, millers, and large buyers, he said. Wheat production last year was 117.9 million tonnes. 

 

India's wheat production is estimated to rise 1% on year to 110.65 million tonnes in 2025-26 (Jul-Jun), supported by a 0.7% increase in acreage and largely stable yields, despite weather disturbances, according to AgriWatch. This is lower than the government estimate of a record wheat output of 120.2 million tonnes for 2025-26, which was released before adverse weather conditions had hit crops in March and April.

 

The price of wheat in Vashi in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, was steady at INR 2,700 per 100 kg, said Devendra Vora, a wholesale trader. "Currently it is all quiet — the market is nearly empty, so prices have been unchanged for some weeks now. We will have to see how demand for the grain plays out once activity in the market increases in June," he said.

 

The price of MAIZE in Indore was unchanged at INR 2,125 per 100 kg, Kochar said. Prices are steady as demand for the coarse grain is on par with its supply, he said. Prices are likely to dip in the near term as summer maize crop arrivals are likely to begin in the near term, though in the medium term, prices could be supported by expectations of a fall in kharif acreage, he said.

 

India's maize production may decline sharply in the crop year 2026-27 (Jul-Jun) as weak prices and uncertainty over the government's ethanol policy prompt farmers to shift acreage back to oilseeds and pulses while the risk of an El Nino weather event adds to concern over yields, according to traders and industry experts. Most market participants estimate that maize output could decline by 10-15% if deficient rainfall and lower fertiliser availability coincide during the crop cycle, potentially forcing India to import maize or ethanol to sustain its 20% blending target.

 

Prices of maize in Davanagere, Karnataka, were steady at INR 1,800-INR 2,050 per 100 kg, said Shiva Kumar, a local trader. Arrivals were steady at 1,500 bags, he said. 

 

Prices of RICE varieties were steady in Vashi, Vora said. The price of 1401 basmati rice was steady at INR 9,500-INR 9,600 per 100 kg, and that of the 1121 variety was also unchanged at INR 10,000-INR 10,200 per 100 kg. Prices are unchanged amid low market activity, with the absence of both buyers and sellers during summer, he said.   End

 

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd. by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt. Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2026. All rights reserved.