Wheat arrivals cross 2.12 lakh tonnes; paddy trades above MSP

India’s cereal markets presented a mixed pricing landscape in early April, with several key commodities trading below their Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 2026–27, even as arrivals surged across mandis.

Wheat arrivals saw a sharp spike to 212,620.59 metric tonnes on April 6, up significantly from 45,001.06 tonnes on April 5 and 151,330.12 tonnes on April 4. This influx weighed on prices, which stood at Rs 2,390.10 per quintal on April 6—below the MSP of Rs 2,585, and marginally higher than Rs 2,349.03 and Rs 2,352.19 recorded on the previous two days.

Maize followed a similar trend, with prices at Rs 1,652.85 per quintal on April 6, compared to Rs 1,712.63 and Rs 1,644.90 in the preceding sessions, remaining well below the MSP of Rs 2,400. Arrivals rose sharply to 24,410.26 tonnes on April 6, up from 6,757.52 tonnes on April 5 and 17,932.77 tonnes on April 4, indicating sustained supply pressure.

In contrast, paddy (common) traded above its MSP of Rs 2,369, with prices at Rs 2,555.20 on April 6, Rs 2,412.98 on April 5, and peaking at Rs 2,988.31 on April 4. Arrivals moderated to 22,095.97 tonnes on April 6 from 27,851.62 tonnes on April 4, supporting firm price trends.

Among coarse cereals, bajra prices remained below MSP levels of Rs 2,775, with rates at Rs 2,002.52, Rs 1,882.60, and Rs 1,968.31 across April 6, 5, and 4 respectively. Arrivals fluctuated, with 1,899.77 tonnes on April 6, dropping to 971.81 tonnes on April 5 before rising again to 1,866.96 tonnes on April 4.

Barley prices hovered close to MSP levels of Rs 2,150, trading at Rs 1,983.67 on April 6, Rs 2,109.03 on April 5, and Rs 2,045.21 on April 4. However, arrivals showed extreme volatility, surging to 31,700.28 tonnes on April 6 from just 463.72 tonnes on April 5 and 3,436.41 tonnes on April 4.

Jowar (sorghum) recorded significant price volatility, with prices spiking to Rs 4,201.78 on April 6—well above its MSP of Rs 3,699—after dropping to Rs 1,997.22 on April 5 and rising again to Rs 3,924.75 on April 4. Arrivals remained relatively low at 315.62 tonnes, 90.01 tonnes, and 280.73 tonnes across the three days.

Ragi (finger millet) continued to trade below its MSP of Rs 4,886, with prices at Rs 3,398.47, Rs 3,094.72, and Rs 3,129.19 over the three-day period. Arrivals remained limited, declining from 408.70 tonnes on April 4 to 170.60 tonnes on April 5 and further to 135.40 tonnes on April 6.

Overall, the data highlights a supply-driven market dynamic, where rising arrivals—particularly in wheat, maize, and barley—are exerting downward pressure on prices. At the same time, selective demand and lower arrivals in crops like jowar and paddy are supporting price resilience, underscoring the uneven nature of price discovery across India’s cereal markets.