Karnal, April 2 -- The food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department of Haryana started wheat procurement operations on Wednesday at 416 purchase centres across the state as part of the rabi marketing season 2026-27. During the process, which will continue till May 15, three agencies - HAFED, Haryana State Warehousing Corporation and Food Corporation of India (FCI) - will purchase the crop at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.2,585 per quintal. Haryana ranks second in wheat production in the country and contributes about 25% to the central pool. On the first day, no wheat was purchased in the state, even though several quintals of the crop were recorded as entered at the mandis, officials said. Farmers from the Karnal region said that harvesting has yet to pick up pace and it will take at least a week more for most of them to transport their crop for purchase. This time, procurement comes in the backdrop of the multi-crore paddy procurement scam, which was unearthed last year in Karnal, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra. Official records showed receipt of paddy that never actually arrived at the grain market, which led to revenue loss for the government as the MSP of Rs.2,389 per quintal was paid. This enabled the issuance of gate passes in their names. Furthermore, procurement agencies showed fake purchases, which were later shown as inward at mills. To bridge this shortfall between records and actual stock, millers sourced paddy or rice from other states at cheaper prices, while the government paid MSP resulting in major revenue loss. This year, procurement began under the surveillance of CCTV cameras. During the bidding process, biometric verification of farmers registered on the "Meri Fasal Mera Byora" portal or any one of their three authorised representatives will be mandatory. Officials said that all mandi locations have been geo-fenced which will ensure that the issuance of gate passes, auctions, the generation of 'J-Forms' (sale receipts), and the lifting of produce are conducted exclusively within the mandi premises, thereby preventing any unauthorised individual from fraudulently selling produce in the farmer's name. Similarly, the e-Kharid app is issuing gate passes for farmers, and uploading a photograph of the vehicle, along with its registration number, will be mandatory. Karnal deputy commissioner Uttam Singh said that farmers without number plates will be allowed to display the number manually on paper or by paint or under special permission from the sub-divisional magistrate. Haryana food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Rajesh Nagar said the state government has made extensive arrangements to ensure a streamlined, transparent, and smooth procurement process for mustard and wheat across all grain markets in the state. Nagar inspected Sohna grain market in Gurugram on Wednesday and reviewed the procurement arrangements for the two crops. During the visit, he also interacted with commission agents and farmers to understand their concerns. Former Haryana minister Sampat Singh on Wednesday demanded an immediate assessment of crop damage and compensation to the tune of Rs.50,000 per acre for crop losses. In a statement, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader said that Tuesday's rain, hailstorm, and strong winds caused severe damage in villages across Nalwa, Adampur, and Barwala assembly constituencies of Hisar district, as well as in other parts of the state....