NEW DELHI, May 25 -- The government's wheat procurement is proceeding apace despite unseasonal April rains that had raised concerns over delayed arrivals, strengthening foodgrain stocks even as the energy shock from the Iran war fuels a flare-up in prices.

India has purchased 34.2 million tonnes (mt) of wheat as of 24 May in the 2026-27 rabi marketing season (April-June), higher than 29.7 mt a year ago and moving closer to the government's target of 34.5 mt, official data showed. This has been supported by robust arrivals from major producing states including Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In the previous marketing season, total wheat procurement stood at 30.03 mt. A higher procurement assumes importance g...